Thaindian News

Guwahati, May 2 (IANS) The Assam government will soon launch a scheme to support the cost of treatment for leukaemia among children below 12 years of age.

Assam Health Minister Himata Biswa Sarma announced this Saturday while interacting with media persons after attending a function at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Guwahati.

“We are working on a scheme under which free treatment will be provided to children below 12 years who suffer from leukaemia. You all know that this cancer is very common in this part of the country and the treatment of leukaemia is very costly,” Sarma said and added that the scheme would give financial relief to the parents of these children.

“We are working on the scheme and if everything goes on as planned, we would be in a position to launch the scheme by Independence Day this year,” said the minister.

Sarma also informed the media persons that the government had already floated tenders from reputed health institutions across the country for setting up a multi-speciality hospital at Amingaon. The proposed hospital will offer free leukaemia treatment to under-12 children.

The health minister said that about 315 children suffering from congenital heart complications would be sent to Bangalore’s Narayana Hrudyalaya this year to get treated by specialists as part of the state government’s ongoing programme.

“The children, all below 14 years of age, will fly in batches along with one of his or her parents from Nov 9 this year to March 30 next year to be treated at Narayana Hrudyalaya in a phased manner,” he said and added that six such children accompanied by their parents have left for Bangalore Saturday.

The state has already treated over 500 such children successfully in the past years, he said.

“The government is spending approximately Rs.2 lakh on each child under the programme, which includes air fare, lodging and medical expenses,” the minister added.