Odisha renews MoU with PMSRF for free cardiac treatment to poor children
BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Thursday renewed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Prasanti Medical Services and Research Foundation (PMSRF) for extension of free cardiac treatment services to the poor and needy children of the state for the next 2 years at Satya Sai Heart Hospital in Ahmedabad.
Initially, the hospital was roped in on 18th November 2018 for providing free cardiac services to the children of Odisha with cardiac ailments.
The MoU for extension of free cardiac treatment was signed in presence of chief minister Naveen Patnaik, Justice Vineet Saran, judge, Supreme Court of India, Justice Mohammad Rafiq, Chief Justice of Orissa high court, Kalpesh S Jhaveri, former chief justice of Orissa high court and others.
As per the agreement, the state government identifies and bears the transportation cost of ailing children while the hospital provides all the services free of cost.
According to an official statement issued by the chief minister’s office, as many as 1019 children have undergone cardiac surgery and cured of their heart ailments in the past two years. The next batch of children with cardiac ailments will be sent for treatment soon after a brief pause due to the Covid-19 situation.
“The state government is committed to make all efforts for fulfilling the healthcare needs of our people, especially the under-privileged and the under-served, in an equitable, accessible, affordable, transparent and time-bound manner. One such remarkable step in this direction has been to ensure that the poor people of Odisha get free cardiac treatment and are given a new lease of life,” said Naveen on the occasion.
Naveen said the state government is renewing the MOU to ensure that the poor people our state continue to receive this critical health service.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice Saran described Odisha as his second home and it’s his privilege to work anything for the state. Justice Saran had introduced the PMSRF to Odisha, said the CMO statement.
Justice Rafiq appreciated the selfless, charitable commitment of the state government and the Satya Sai Heart Hospital. Justice Jhaveri said that Odisha is very close to his heart.
According to the agreement, all pre and post-operative care of patients at the hospital, including medicines, stents and coils are borne by the foundation while the transport assistance is provided by the state government to the patients along with escorts referred to PMSRF.