NUAPADA: As many as 15 children with heart ailment in the district will soon get a new lease of life as they left for Ahmedabad on Friday for free surgery under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK).
Under the scheme, a mobile health unit was formed in each block of the district to conduct screenings in schools and anganwadi centres.
They organised health camps in a bid to ensure early identification of defects, diseases and disability among children from birth to 18 years of age. Accordingly, they identified 26 cases of congenital heart disease in the first level screening.
The second level screening was held at Bhubaneswar where a team of doctors from Satya Sai Hospital in Ahemdabad conducted health camps to ascertain the severity of disease. Based on their examination, the hospital recently agreed to perform necessary surgeries on 15 children.
Chief District Medical Officer Jyotsna Rani Pattnaik said of the 15 children, 11 have been selected from Komna block, two from Nuapada and one each from Khariar and Boden. All the 15 children belong to BPL families whose income is less than Rs 3000 a month, he added.
On Friday, these children along with their guardians and three members of Zilla Swasthya Samiti were sent to Bhubaneswar from where they will be boarding their flight to Ahemdabad on Saturday. Their surgeries will be conducted soon after they get admitted to Satya Sai Hospital.
District Programme Manager of RBSK Biswamber Behera said regular screenings are being organised in schools and anganwadi centres to identify children afflicted with the condition to ensure that they get timely and free treatment.