JOIN USThe scheme envisages to protect the health of infants against 18 classified diseases to which the children are generally prone, by virtually offering free treatment both as out-patients and in-patients at five designated hospitals in the State.
The scheme is picking up slowly in Hyderabad Karnataka region which has alarming human development indices and where children are highly malnutritioned and anaemic. The region also records high infant mortality and maternal mortality rate.
The objectives of the innovative scheme include among others ensuring level 3 tertiary emergency treatment to newborn babies in the age group 0-30 days, keeping children healthy, educating and empowering mothers about healthy bringing up of their children, and strengthening vulnerable children through health services and by providing them nutritious food. For the level 3 tertiary treatment, the BPL child is entitled for free treatment up to Rs 35,000 and for the treatment of neonates against various diseases the permissible free treatment is up to Rs 50,000. The mother/father accompanying the child will be given a daily allowance of Rs 100 for the treatment period of the child besides travel expenses.
The 18 diseases covered under the scheme are: Severe pneumonia, acute infectious diseases, encephalitis and pyogenic meningitis, malaria with complications, severe anaemia, blood related diseases, diabetes, kidney problems, neonatal intensive care with ventilatory support, liver diseases, neurological problems, malnutrition, diarrhoea, pediatric surgery, snake, etc bite; poisoning, heart diseases (congenital and acquired), accidents and trauma.
To start wilth, five hospitals have been identified for the scheme: Basaveshwara and Sangameshwara Hospitals of M R Medical College, Gulbarga (for Bidar, Gulbarga, Yadgir, Raichur districts); Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital of Belgaum (Dharwad, Belagum, Bellary, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gadag); Bapuji Child Health Institute of Davangere (Shimoga, Davangere, Haveri, Koppal, Chitradurga), Indira Gandhi Child Health Institute of Bangalore (Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Mysore, Mandya, Kodagu, Kolar, Chamrajanagar, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Tumkur, Chikkaballapur, Ramanagar); Wenlock and Lady Ghosh Hospitals of Kasturba Medical College, M’lore (Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi). Under special circumstances hildren can avail treatment in any of hospitals.