Giving a further boost to the healthcare services in the State, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday dedicated dialysis centers at 16 sub-district hospitals through video conferencing.
As many as 32 dialysis centers will be opened at the sub-district level under the 5T initiative across the State.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that along with free treatment in government healthcare centers, more than 4 crore people are provided free of cost treatment through Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana and BSKY Nabin Card. This has eliminated the problem of people worrying about money in case of health issues.
Explaining that the treatment of kidney disease is very expensive, the Chief Minister said that by establishing these centers the kidney patients can get dialysis services free of charge near their homes.
With an aim to provide better health services to the people of the State, the SAHAY scheme was started in 2018 to render life-saving dialysis services to kidney patients totally free of cost. Odisha was the first state in the country to provide this service. In the first phase, this service was started in all district headquarters hospitals. Now in 5T initiative it has been extended to sub-district hospitals. 32 dialysis centers will be opened at the sub-district level, the CM said.
He further said that the State Government would spend Rs 50 crore annually to provide free dialysis services to the patients.
Expressing that all life is precious to him, the Chief Minister said that government healthcare centers are being transformed. The work is in progress to provide better services under the Ama Hospital programme.
There are free medical facilities for rich and poor. This programme will help us to achieve the goal of “Sustha (Healthy) Odisha, Sukhi (Happy) Odisha, the CM expressed.