175 patients undergo free angioplasty procedure

 
Even though he is a Yeshasvini card holder, Rajanna had to shell out Rs 40,000 for the stent (an implant) towards his father’s surgery.

However, a workshop on angioplasty held at the Institute with the aid of two NRI doctors' foundation (Dr Govindaraju Subramani Heart Foundation and Medtronic Vascular Division from the US) came to Siddappa’s rescue. As many as 175 poor heart patients underwent angioplasty procedure at the workshop, Siddappa being one of them.

Unaffordable cost

“We are poor farmers, even if they had offered stent at a subsidised cost, I could not have afforded the procedure,” said a relieved Rajanna.

Director of the Institute Dr C N Manjunath said the help extended by the donors and two other doctors made the workshop a success.

Most of the time even the Yeshasvini scheme does not come to the rescue of patients hailing from underprivileged background, Dr Manjunath added.

The donors, who are NRI doctors, provided the stents and balloons worth Rs 1.5 crore and the remaining Rs 50 lakh was gathered by the Institute.