CM Mr Chouhan's initiative for heart patient children

Ataullah Faizan

Bhopal, June 15, 2011

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr Shivraj Singh Chouhan is a personality, who never ceases to work for the welfare of all the sections of society. The Chief Minister has also been taking initiatives for the children's healthcare and treatment in the state on a better and larger scale. Latest in the series is 'Mukhyamantri Bal Hriday Upchar Yojana', which will be launched for the children suffering from various heart related diseases in the State, reports SMS News & Features.

As many as one hundred operations will be performed in July. So far, such 390 children have been detected. It was informed at a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Mr Shivraj Singh Chouhan held here at his residence recently.

      Mr Chouhan has given directives to give priority to the children of poor families who are affected due to heart diseases. Arrangements should be made for examination and treatment of such children in all the medical colleges of the state. It should also be ensured that the child patients get medicines even post-operation. Assistance amount can also be sought from donors besides Rajya Bimari Sahayta and Chief Minister's discretionary fund. A survey is being conducted to find out the heart patient children in all the districts of the state. Arrangements should be made for treatment of these children in the districts.

      It may be mentioned that on an average only one child out of one thousand children has heart disease by birth. There may be 30 thousand such children in the state but only 10 to 15 thousand children can undergo surgery. Two thousand operations can be performed in a year in the State and out of the State in selected health institutions. A provision of ` 15 crore has been made under the Rajya Bimari Sahayta Nidhi. About Rs one lakh would be spent on each heart operation.

      Heart operations of the children will be performed in Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal; Bhandari Hospital & Research Centre, Indore; Bhopal Memorial Hospital, Bhopal, C.H. Apollo Hospital, Bombay, Gokuldas and Special Hospital, Indore; Chirayu Cardiac Centre, Bhopal; and out of the state in AIIMS, New Delhi, All India Child Heart Institute, Trivandrum; Cherian Madras Mission Hospital, Chennai and Narayan Hridayalaya, Manglore.

Earlier in January, 2011, i an effort to reduce infant mortality rate (IMR), over one lakh 18 thousand newly born babies were provided medical treatment by setting up Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) and Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres in the districts of Madhya Pradesh. The figure of children is infinitely more than last year. There is a considerable reduction in the morality of children every year in the state. Due to the efforts of State government the rate of IMR has reduced to 70 from 79. The strategic planning and actions initiated by Madhya Pradesh Government for reducing the deaths of children were appreciated by Union Government at national meeting. The Centre Government asked the representatives of other states’ health department to study Madhya Pradesh model and adopt in their states.