[ad_1]
New Delhi: The central government has classified life-threatening diseases affecting the kidney, bladder or urinary tract under the National Rare Diseases Policy, making patients eligible for financial assistance of up to Rs 10 lakh. Rs 50 lakh
This condition is called primary hyperoxaluria and where a kidney transplant is required, financial assistance will be available for medical treatment.
The decision comes following a recent review of the National Policy for Rare Diseases by a panel of the Health Ministry.
The government has included primary hyperoxaluria (for transplant only) in the Group 1 category, which relates to disorders that can be cured with one-time curative treatment.
Group 2 includes diseases that require long-term or lifelong treatment at a relatively low cost, while Group 3 includes diseases for which definitive treatment is available.
Also read | How prepared is India for an MPox outbreak?
“Financial assistance to these patients suffering from the above-mentioned rare diseases (primary hyperoxaluria) will be provided as per the provisions envisaged under NPRD, 2021,” the health ministry said in a recent communication.
The central government introduced the National Policy for Rare Diseases in March 2021, focusing on treating patients suffering from any category of rare diseases, with provision of financial assistance up to Rs 10 lakh. Rs 50 lakh
Last month, Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel told Parliament that 63 rare diseases have been included under the National Policy for Rare Diseases on the recommendation of the Central Technical Committee on Rare Diseases and 1,118 patients have benefited from it.
Other health conditions classified under the National Policy for Rare Diseases include osteopetrosis, which causes bone diseases; Fanconi anemia, which causes bone marrow failure, tumors and other abnormalities; Laron syndrome, which causes growth hormone insensitivity; and immune deficiency disorders, such as severe combined immunodeficiency and Wiscott Aldridge syndrome.
The Central Government has set up 12 Centres of Excellence in major government hospitals with facilities for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of patients suffering from such rare diseases.
The government has released around Rs 1,000 crore In the last three years, Rs 109 crore was given to these institutions, but only Rs 53 crore was utilised.
A Union Health Ministry spokesperson did not immediately respond to a query. Mints Question.
[ad_2]
