Assam sends 76 children with Congenital Heart Disease for free treatment across India

Seventy-six children suffering from Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) in Assam have been sent for treatment at premier healthcare facilities across the country as part of an initiative organised by the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam.

The initiative has been organised to coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday, with the Assam government facilitating treatment for the identified children at hospitals and healthcare institutions in cities including Bengaluru and Mumbai, among others.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Babul Bezbaruah, Principal and Chief Superintendent of Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), said 76 CHD patients were being sent to different medical institutions for treatment.

According to Bezbaruah, the Assam government’s CHD treatment programme has been operational since July 1, 2010, and has so far facilitated free treatment for 14,726 patients.

He said the programme would continue, adding that the latest initiative was being undertaken as a special measure on the Prime Minister’s 76th birthday.

Dr Devajit Choudhury, Superintendent of GMCH, said the 76 patients were identified under the state’s Congenital Heart Disease programme and were being referred to hospitals in different parts of India for treatment.

Choudhury said that since the programme began in 2010, more than 14,500 patients have successfully undergone treatment through the initiative.

He further said that under the programme, one guardian accompanies each patient, while the Assam government bears the expenses related to their travel, food and other requirements.

The initiative is aimed at ensuring that children suffering from congenital cardiac conditions can access specialised treatment without the financial burden being borne by their families.

Officials said the programme would continue to provide treatment support to children with CHD across Assam.