Bypass surgery to be free in government hospitals

Kolkata: Patients suffering from cancer, cardiac diseases and blood disorders would soon get free treatment, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Friday.

"After our huge success of fair price medicine shops and diagnostic centres, the state government would soon make treatment of all types of cancer, cardiac problems and blood disorders completely free in state government-run hospitals and medical colleges," Banerjee said in a post on Facebook.

The services to be provided would include all types of medicines, radiation therapy, surgical procedures like open heart surgery, bypass surgery, repair and replacement of valves and insertion of different types of implants like stents and pace makers, she said.

The scope of treatment of blood disorders including blood cancer, thalassemia, alplastic anaemia, hemophilia, etc would also be enhanced to offer universal coverage, she said adding that the programme will be launched very soon after fixing logistics and other issues.