Kerala’s Hridyam Mission for Support to Children With Heart Problems Makes Rapid Strides
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Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja’s sudden action to send medical help to a person who had made a request on her Facebook post has triggered a discussion in cyberspace. Thanks to the Minister’s recent speedy response to a request for medical help just two days ago, about 50 cases have been registered on the website of the Kerala government’s Hridyam Mission. Till May 10, a total of 130 cases have been registered.
The Minister’s post was about the precautions that have to be taken by the state before the monsoons to counter possible epidemics. Her post came exactly one year after Kerala effectively tackled the deadly Nipah virus.
Even as a discussion broke out on Shailaja’s Facebook post, one Jiyas Madasseri wrote in to seek help for his sister’s new-born baby girl who was suffering from a serious health issue involving the heart valve.
Two hours after Madasseri’s comment on her post, the Minister replied, but only after she had arranged all the necessary requirements for the sick child. “Jiyas Madasseri, I have asked the health department and the co-ordinator of Hridyam project to enquire regarding the matter and submit report. It is possible to avail free treatment for your kid under Hridyam project. We have already started the procedures to start the treatment soon. Lisie Hospital, Eranamkulam has made the arrangements for the same. The ambulance of Hridyam project has already left Edappal to Perinthalmanna hospital. Your child will be shifted to Lisie Hospital tonight itself.” - K K Shailaja.
Under the mission, the state government arranged for the treatment of the 15-day-old child suffering from heart-related disease in Kochi for treatment. This triggered a discussion on the Kerala government’s “Hridyam Mission” in cyber space, with several people commending it.
Aboo Shahzad Bava, a man from Kozhikode, whose child was treated under the Hridyam Mission wrote “Big salute to Shailaja Teacher and health ministry for their fabulous Hridyam plan and helping thousands of kids like my daughter in getting heart surgery.”
This mission is the initiative by the Kerala government to support children who suffer from Congenital Heart Diseases (CHD). The mission’s aim is to decrease the infant mortality rate. Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) are a leading cause of mortality in infants in the state. A total of 1,095 cases are registered on the Hridyam Mission’s official website this year. Of these, 287 cases were operated in 2019, out of which 175 were infants. Seven empanelled hospitals from northern and southern Kerala are part of this initiative.
Dr.Sreehari, who is part of this mission says that – “The programme has launched in 2017 August, with the objective of reducing the IMR rate in Kerala from ten to eight by 2020. With the available data we are very sure that, we are in the right direction”.
According to reports, the reach of this scheme is expanding through social media campaigns.
The Left Democratic Front government’s Navakerala (New Kerala) Mission aspires to recapture the Kerala ‘model of development’ which gives more focus to education and health.
With the state government also taking steps to revive public sector undertakings, its decision to take over all institutions under the Kerala State Co-operative Hospital Complex and Centre for Advanced Medical Services Ltd, in which the Pariyaram Medical College, will also become part of the state government, will go a long way in catering to public health requirements of the people of the state.
(The writer is an intern with Newsclick)
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