NIMS partners with UK Surgeons to offer free paediatric heart surgeries

Hyderabad: Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), in collaboration with a team of expert heart surgeons from the United Kingdom, has launched a special heart surgery camp to provide free life-saving surgeries for children from the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). At the special heart surgery camp, the doctors will screen children with congenital heart diseases so that heart procedures can be taken up, where necessary, reports Telangana Today. Children found to require surgical intervention during the camp will undergo procedures completely free of cost under the Aarogyasri Health Insurance Scheme, Telangana’s flagship health programme for low-income families. The Arogya Sri scheme was introduced in 2007 by the then Congress government to provide quality medical treatment to the poor. Under the scheme, financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakh was extended to each beneficiary. Also Read: Telangana expands Arogya Sri Scheme with addition of 65 New Medical Procedures Medical Dialogues had previously reported that the state government has decided to add 65 new medical treatments under the Rajiv Arogya Sri scheme, besides increasing the package cost of the existing 1,375 medical treatments. The decision was made by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Bhatti Vikramarka during a meeting held at the secretariat. The minister issued orders on Saturday, releasing Rs 497.29 crore towards the enhanced cost of treatment packages. This annual initiative, held every September, provides world-class cardiac care at no cost to children up to 14 years of age. By offering these surgeries free of charge, the initiative lifts a significant financial burden while ensuring that children receive top-quality treatment from experienced cardiac surgeons, both Indian and international. Also Read: MKCG Medical College Hospital Restarts Open-Heart Surgery After 3 Decades Speaking about the initiative, NIMS Director Dr. Nagari Beerappa said, “This free camp is a rare opportunity for children suffering from complex heart diseases to get world-class treatment at no cost. Parents should bring their children for check-ups at the cardiothoracic department so that timely intervention can be provided,” reports Etv Bharat. Parents who wish to have their children screened can visit the CTVS office on the first floor of the old NIMS building between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, along with the child’s: • Previous medical reports • Scan reports and test results • Identification documents (for Aarogyasri eligibility) Doctors available for consultation and coordination include: • Dr. Amaresh Rao • Dr. Praveen • Dr. Gopal