'Patients fail a health scheme'

Over 60 per cent of patients who avail benefits under government’s Vajpayee Arogyashree Scheme do not turn up post surgery.

As a result, the very purpose of offering medical facilities falls flat, according to Department of Health and Family Welfare Principal Secretary N Sivasailam.

Speaking at Indo-American Angioplasty Workshop, organised by Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Research, in association with Dr G Subramani Heart Foundation, Illinois, the US, and Medtronic Vascular Division, Santarosa, the US, he said: “As suggested by senior doctors, those above 40 years of age must get regular health checks done.”

He added they could make use of the facility that the State offered.

“Primary health centres have a facility where diabetes and hypertension checkups are conducted. They can undergo the same once in three months as it is economical,” he said.

The 165 angioplasty were performed in six cathlabs with the expertise of 40 full-time cardiologists, technicians and skilled nursing staff, according to Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Research Director Dr C N Manjunath.

“On Saturday, the workshop will be held at Mysore where our target is 100 patients,” he saidMinister for Medical Education Dr Sharan Prakash R Patil said 165 patients were operated upon by funds for mertonic stent that were provided by Dr  G Subramani.

“The surgeries were completed in a span of five days last week and patients have also been discharged,” he said adding that “the hospital also contributed Rs 50 lakh for this purpose.”

Dr Patil said the facility of super-speciality hospitals would be rolled out from Mysore, Belgaum, Bellary, Hubli and Gulbarga.

Stating that management skills played a key role in making use of government funds, he said the way Javadeva under directorship of Dr C N Manjunath was a classic example of the same.