Tripura and Apollo sign pact to treat children with heart diseases free of cost

Agartala: The Tripura government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Apollo Hospital in Chennai to provide free treatment for children born with heart disease.

This was announced by Tripura chief minister Dr Manik Saha on Monday (July 01).

During the state-level launch of the ‘Stop Diarrhoea Campaign’ at Pragna Bhawan, Tripura CM Dr Manik Saha revealed that the MoU was signed on May 10, 2024.

The agreement ensures that children from Tripura with heart conditions will receive free treatment at Apollo Hospital in Chennai.

Additionally, similar free treatment will be available at the government medical college, Medica Hospital in Kolkata, and Shija Hospitals and Research Institute in Manipur, with costs covered by the Tripura government, which will also provide financial assistance to the parents.

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The Tripura chief minister highlighted that as part of the diarrhoea campaign, children aged 0-5 will be provided with ORS, zinc, and other necessary treatments.

“We must ensure that guardians keep the hands of crawling babies clean to prevent diarrhoea. This is especially crucial during the rainy season, and we need to raise awareness for the success of the Stop Diarrhoea campaign,” the Tripura CM said.

As the health minister of Tripura, Dr Saha stated that the state government, in partnership with the National Health Mission (NHM), is regularly conducting vaccination camps for children, organizing health camps in various areas, and distributing medicines.

The Tripura CM also mentioned the ongoing efforts in TB detection and praised Tripura for its exceptional performance in the National Tuberculosis Eradication Program, with 48% of Gram Panchayats being TB-free.