Bokaro: A special health initiative under the National Health Mission (NHM) has brought new hope to families of children suffering from congenital heart disease (CHD) in Bokaro. The screening and treatment campaign aims to identify children needing advanced cardiac care and provide free treatment, including surgery where required.NHM mission director Shashi Prakash Jha said the govt was committed to ensuring that no child was denied treatment due to lack of money. “Economic hardship should never become a barrier in saving a child’s life. Through this campaign, children up to 18 years of age will be identified and provided free treatment and heart surgery wherever required,” he said.At the Gift of Life programme held at Shibu Soren Memorial Town Hall, cardiac specialists from Kochi examined 259 children. Of them, 40 were diagnosed with congenital heart disease or other serious cardiac conditions and will receive free treatment. Around 120 children were screened during the initial phase.“Early detection and timely treatment can completely transform the lives of children suffering from heart defects,” Jha said, urging parents to seek medical advice if symptoms appear. He added that Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams were identifying such cases across the district.Bokaro deputy commissioner Ajay Nath Jha called the programme a major step for underprivileged children. “No child’s future should be affected because of financial limitations. Our priority is to ensure that every eligible child receives the benefit of this initiative,” he said.
Participants at the ‘Gift of Life’ programme held at Shibu Soren Memorial Town Hal
