Free treatment for BPL people in Bihar

Patna, May 9 (UNI) The Bihar goverment today decided to provide free health care and monetary aid to patients, living Below the Poverty Line (BPL).

Patients suffering from cancer and having BPL cards would be provided Rs 40,000 as subsidy if they opted for treatment within the state. But the sum would go up to Rs 60,000 if they preferred to get their treatment at hospitals outside the state.

Similarly, patients suffering from heart ailments would get subsidy ranging from Rs 1.30 lakh to Rs 25,000 depending on the nature of disease.

Patients suffering from kidney ailment would get Rs 1.50 lakh for treatment and those with terminal mental illness would get Rs 20,000 as subsidy irrespective of geographical location.

Briefing mediapersons after the cabinet meeting, state cabinet coordination secretary A K Chouhan said the patients, requiring minor surgical treatment of brain tumor would be provided Rs 15,000 as subsidy while those needing major surgical intervention would get Rs 25,000.

AIDS patients would get Rs 50,000 for their treatment at hospitals outside the state while the state government would provide Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 for treatment of total hip and knee replacement at hospitals located inside and outside the state respectively, Mr Chouhan added. Similarly, patients afflicted with spinal injury would get Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 for their treatment.

He said the patients needing bone marrow transplant would get Rs 25,000 as subsidy for treatment.

State Health Secretary Deepak Prasad said the heatlth care centres would be equipped with adequate infrastructrue to cater the needs of the BPL people.

The cabinet also approved the health departments proposal to bear the cost of the delivery of babies by mothers living below the poverty line. He said that the expecting mothers would get Rs.

900 for delivery of their babies at government hospitals.

UNI DH PC SB BD2015