RANCHI, Jharkhand 24 : The Jharkhand Health Department on Monday sent 20 children with congenital heart defects to Amrita Hospital in Kochi for free surgeries and comprehensive medical care under a state government initiative.
Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari said the programme would provide crucial support to children from economically weaker families who cannot afford expensive cardiac treatment.
“The department has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Kochi-based hospital to provide free treatment to around 100 children. The first batch comprises 20 children,” Ansari said.
He added that such surgeries can cost up to Rs 5 lakh, making the initiative particularly significant for families with limited financial resources.
Under the programme, children will receive end-to-end medical care, including pre-operative cardiac screening, diagnostic tests, surgery, medicines, hospital accommodation and meals. The state government will also cover travel expenses for the children and their guardians.
Post-operative follow-ups and health monitoring will continue until the children safely return home, officials said. The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram team is coordinating the programme to ensure that the children receive care at every stage.
Dr R K Singh, nodal officer of the Health Department’s IEC cell, said 351 children with congenital heart conditions had previously undergone successful surgeries outside Jharkhand through government initiatives.
The next two batches, comprising 15 and 25 children, are scheduled to travel to Kochi with medical teams on September 8 and September 21, respectively.
