State health minister TS Singhdeo on Tuesday inaugurated free dialysis facilities in six district hospitals via video conferencing from his residential office.
The new facilities have been named ‘Jeevan Dhara’ under the national free dialysis programme.
Dialysis machines have been installed in district hospitals in Kanker, Mahasamund, Durg, Bilaspur, Korba, and Jashpur, an official released here said.
With the inauguration of the facilities, people suffering from kidney ailments will be able to avail dialysis free of cost near to their residence.
In view of the coronavirus prevention advisory issued by the Centre, the health minister inaugurated the facility in the six districts via video conferencing from his residential office in the presence of a number of senior department officials.
Under ‘Jeevan Dhara’ programme, five units each have been installed in Durg, Kanker, Korba and Jashpur district hospitals, four in Bilaspur and three dialysis units have been installed in Mahasamund district hospital.
Under the programme, Farefax India Charitable Foundation (Trust), Mumbai has provided 30 dialysis machines free of cost to the state government.
Health minister Singhdeo said kidney patients have to frequently go for dialysis, which leads to major financial burden.
“Only few cities in the state have dialysis facility. Keeping in view of the struggle of people with kindly disorder, free dialysis facility has been started in the six district hospitals under the national health mission,” he said.
“The initiative will help the patients to avail the dialysis facility sooner without having to travel far.”
Singhdeo also inspected the dialysis machines and other facilities in the four district hospitals.
Under the ‘Jeevan Dhara’ programme, ESKAG Sanjeevani Pvt Ltd, Kolkata has been selected via a tender process as per the instructions of the Union health ministry for operating the dialysis machines.
The video conference was attended by state health secretary Nihariha Barik Singh, special secretary Dr CR Prasanna, state director health services Neeraj Bansod, and national health mission director Dr Priyanka Shukla.