Assam health minister visits Bengaluru hospital, meets heart transplant patient from state

Assam Health Minister Ashok Singhal visited Narayana Health City in Bengaluru on September 12 to review the treatment of patients from the state undergoing specialised care, including a patient who underwent a heart transplant a day earlier.

Singhal met Rehan Ahmed, an Assam patient who underwent the transplant on Friday after being referred to the Bengaluru hospital under a healthcare initiative of the Assam government. The minister spoke to Rehan and his family about his condition and post-transplant care.

The visit came as the Assam government continues to facilitate advanced treatment outside the state for patients requiring specialised care, including heart and bone marrow transplants.

Singhal also met several other patients from Assam and their family members and sought feedback on their treatment and the services being provided at the hospital. He visited the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and interacted with patients from Assam undergoing treatment there.

The minister also held discussions with doctors and healthcare professionals at the hospital on the treatment of patients referred from Assam and the challenges involved in managing complex and critical medical conditions.

During the visit, Singhal met Devi Prasad Shetty, chairman and founder of Narayana Health. Their discussions centred on improving access to specialised medical care for patients from Assam and strengthening cooperation in the treatment of critical illnesses.

The Assam government has been supporting patients requiring advanced treatment at medical institutions outside the state through various healthcare initiatives. The programmes are aimed at helping patients access specialised care when such treatment is not readily available locally.

Executive Director of the National Health Mission, Assam, Abhijit Sharma, accompanied Singhal during the visit.