Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar announces monetary aid for SC/ST patients suffering from Rare Diseases and High Cost Diseases

Dr B Thomas (Special Correspondent)

Monetary aid to be given for Rare and High cost diseases not covered under Ayushman Bharat package.

Karnataka government’s new gift for SC/ST community.

Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar announced monetary aid for SC/ST patients who are suffering from diseases categorized as ‘Rare Diseases’ and ‘High Cost Diseases’ on Thursday, September 8.

“Aid for several types of diseases is currently being provided under the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka Scheme.

However,certain Rear and High cost diseases that are not covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and for such diseases where there is no facility to provide treatment in government hospitals monetary aid for will be provided by state government through Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust using unspent SCST/TSP fund allocation,” said Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar.

“Currently a total of Rs.23.18 crore of unspent allocations exists and this will be used to fund this new scheme.

The government will provide Rs.10,000 for PET Scan,Rs.7 lakh and Rs.21 lakh for Autologous and Allogenic bone marrow transplant respectively and Rs.1.5 lakh for robotic surgeries,” he added.

“Karnataka government under the leadership of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is building upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s dream of helping the poor and vulnerable through the Ayushman Bharat Scheme.

Patients who belong to the SC/ST communities will be greatly benefitted as aid is being extended to even Rare and High cost diseases,” said Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar.