Affordable Cardiac Care is a Reality – Dr N. Prathap Kumar of Meditrina Hospitals

New Delhi, Delhi, India: 

• India’s first successful “Speciality in Hospital” for poor and lower income groups under PPP model is a boon
• Over 10,000 angioplasties and 25,000 cardiac procedures performed across Civil Hospitals in four cities in the Haryana state
• Angioplasty for less than Rs 50,000/- including stent cost

Introducing the people from economically weaker sections to affordable cardiac care is Haryana Cardiac Model. The highly affordable cardiac care for the masses especially the BPL cardholders and people categorised under Ayushman Bharat Yojna (PMJAY) are availing free to very low-cost treatment in Haryana.

A renowned cardiologist from Kerala, Dr N. Prathap Kumar, Chairman & MD, Meditrina Group of Hospitals has pioneered the concept of “Speciality in Hospital” (SIH) by setting up Cath Labs in Haryana’s civil hospitals.

Meditrina Hospital brought in its expertise in angioplasties and other cardiac surgical procedures under Speciality in Hospital (SIH) to Haryana. Under this model, the Meditrina cath labs offer angioplasty absolutely free to Ayushmaan card owners as well as BPL category patients of Haryana.

Other patients hailing from the marginalised economic background are also benefited from Haryana Cardiac Model initiated by Government of Haryana along with Meditrina Group of Hospitals. Patients avail the treatment in about 25 percent of what is charged at private hospitals for a cardiac procedure.

Speaking on his vision to offer quality and affordable cardiac care to the people of Haryana, Dr. N. Prathap Kumar says, “Our Heart Centres in the Civil Hospitals of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ambala and Panchkula are equipped with the best cardiologist teams and medical infrastructure offering the best of cardiac treatments at a highly affordable cost. For many marginalised sections of the society, our treatment is done for free to ensure no one is devoid of heart treatment even at their most vulnerable times.”

The model is designed in a manner that it provides for medical skills, easy access, cardiologists expertise, best in class equipment, affordability and a better outcome for cardiac patients across all strata of the society.

The cardiac treatment can be availed free of cost for government officials at the Heart Centres in Haryana, operated by Meditrina Hospitals. In addition to the under privileged patients from marginalised economic background, cardiac treatment at Meditrina Hospitals is also much sought after by the lower to upper middle class population due to the excellent quality of care which is at par with the private sector hospitals. Regular patients can undergo angioplasty at a nominal cost of less than Rs. 50,000/- only which is a fraction of the costs at private hospitals.

During the ongoing pandemic when cardiac patients are more vulnerable to Covid19 infection, the SIH model in Haryana has come as a blessing in treating underprivileged and people from low-income groups.

Haryana is the first state in India to have initiated this model where a private entity is invited to run Cath Labs within Govt’s civil hospitals which are now being hailed as Haryana Cardiac Model. The Government of Haryana provides all the infrastructure to run these cardiac health facilities which are fully equipped to handle even most complex heart surgeries at fraction of a cost.

“It’s very gratifying to reach this milestone under the PPP model with Govt of Haryana across four cities where we set-up cath labs within civil hospitals. It’s inspiring for us that thousands of patients have been treated in the last three years, and low-cost cardiac care is seeing the light of the day which is boon in a country like India. Our vision is to reach out to a large number of patients with quality treatment with the latest technology and superior skills,” says Dr N. Prathap Kumar.

“We have done about 25,000 cardiac procedures so far in civil hospitals of Haryana, of which 10,000 are angioplasties under the successful PPP model with Haryana Government. During current times when stress levels are high with anxiety on rising, people are ignoring their underlying health issues due to fear of visiting a hospital. At the Heart Centres operating from Civil hospitals four of the state’s major cities, we take all required precautions following gold standard SOPs to keep our cath labs sanitised and safe. I urge people not to ignore any physical discomfort in the body and reach out to hospitals.’’

Looking at the success rate of this SIH model in government medical centres, Haryana Cardiac Model, may open doors for other states to reach out to economically vulnerable with affordable treatment and make way for young budding medical professionals creating more jobs for the healthcare professionals. 

Disclaimer: This content is distributed by Business Wire India.