Free blood, medicines and blood transfusion facilities for thalassemia patients are being extended to the Sickle Cell Institute in Raipur and Bilaspur and the Medical Colleges in Raigarh and Jagdalpur.
The Chhattisgarh governments is doing this under the Dr Khoobchand Baghel Health Assistance Scheme, its flagship health programme.
Patients get free expert consultations at all hospitals in the state, an official communiqué said on Sunday.
Thalassemia patients require Iron Chelating Agent-Deferisirox which is also provided free of cost. In coordination with the Thalassemia Society, around 350 patients across the state are availing the free medical services, it said.
During the Covid-19 induced lockdown, at the initiative of Health and Family Welfare Minister T. S. Singh Deo, a 16-year-old thalassemia patient from Koriya district was admitted at DKS Super Specialty Hospital, Raipur, for treatment.
Additionally, the state government made necessary arrangements for Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) Test at a private hospital for two pregnant women as the facility was not available in any government hospital.
Thalassemia is a genetic blood related disease related to red blood cells (RBC) in the body. It reflects lack of blood in the body.