(Heart Care for children suffering from Congenital Heart Disease- A First of its kind initiative of the Health & Family Welfare Department, Govt. of Assam)

About the Program:

Free Treatment for Children having Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is a compassionate and matchless initiative of Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of Assam. It has an endearing and unique scheme for children suffering from Congenital Heart Disease which is being implemented by NRHM, Assam w.e.f. 01-07-2010. The scheme is for children between the age group of 0-18 years (Since 1st January 2020. Earlier it was for the age group of 0-14 years) who are born with defects in the Heart. The scheme is open to the children born to the permanent residents of Assam and whose annual income is Rs 6.00 Lakh or less. Government of Assam bears the entire expenses of screening, investigations and treatment (for those who need surgery) for these children in designated Cardiac centers in the State including designated hospitals of outside the State. Government of Assam also bears the to and fro airfare between Guwahati to other destinations of the outside the State for the patient and one Parent/ guardian, besides providing adequate accommodation facility situated close to the hospital for the guardian during the hospitalization period of the child. Implementation of CHD programme is transferred to Atal Amrit Abhiyan Society (AAAS), Assam w.e.f. 1st January, 2020.

About Congenital Heart Disease:

Congenital Heart Disease is a defect in the structure of the Heart and the great vessels which is present at birth. It is presumed that about 1% of all live births may have some type of Cardiac anomaly. Many of them are associated with other major birth defects and may be a part of larger combination of genetic disorders which are difficult to treat, and have high mortality. These defects usually disturb the normal circulation of blood as a result of which the tissues of the body may not get adequate oxygen supply.

Children born with these defects may have respiratory difficulty and blusih discoloration (which is called cyanosis) due to circulation of blood which is devoid of adequate oxygen. Older children usually get easily tired; suffer from repeated respiratory infections, weakness, palpitation and sometimes cyanosis of the tongue and finger tips.

Eligibility:

• The Scheme came into effect from 1st July’ 2010.
• Children between the age 0-18yrs who have been certified by the HoD Paediatric Surgery, GMCH as requiring cardiac surgery.
• The guardian must be a permanent resident of Assam and income should not exceed Rs. 6.00 Lakh per annum.

Procedure:

The patient must apply to the Nodal Officer along with the following documents:

• Application to the Nodal Officer for financial aid
• Permanent residential certificate of Assam
• Address proof
• Medical certificate requiring cardiac surgery by a competent and qualified Cardiac Surgeon
• All relevant documents related to the illness including expenditure receipts of laboratory tests (viz. x-ray report, doctors’ advice, pathology test report etc.) shall be presented to the Nodal Officer for consideration of the case
• Referral certificate for cardiac surgery including name of referral center.
  Details of employment of guardian.
• Income certificate
• Letter from referral hospital mentioning the tentative date of operation
• The patient must present himself before the State Nodal Officer or, be exempted from physical examination by him with grounds for such exemption

For necessary information regarding the Scheme, the person may contact Dr. Abhijit Sarma, State Coordinator, CHD Programme or the Department of Cardiology, GMCH, Guwahati.

Total 7754 numbers of children were treated under the scheme since 2010-11 to 30th September, 2020.

Summary of Screening Camps for Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Programme:

Since July 2010, Total Eleven screening camps have been held in four Medical Colleges of Assam. Eleven times held in Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati and seven times in Silchar Medical College , six times in Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh and four times in Jorhat Medical College, Jorhat for detection of Congenital Heart Diseases in children.