Free medical equipment for patients in Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: City corporation authorities will open a medical healthcare equipment centre at the old corporation office to help the patients from Below Poverty Line (BPL) and to those whose annual income does not exceed the limit of 50,000.

Considered to be first of its kind, Kudumbashree attached to the city corporation decided to execute the project under the poverty alleviation scheme. The scheme has not been included in the annual plan project to extend its benefit to the low income group, that does not fall under the BPL category.

The scheme is being executed as a social service venture of the Kudumbashree through sponsorship. The civic body has already purchased healthcare equipment at a cost of Rs 5 lakh collected through sponsorships.

The health centre will supply the patient care equipment such as foot supporters, neck supports, arm supports, water bed, stretchers, wheel chairs, BP machines, heart rate monitoring machines, blood glucose meter, nebulizers, braces and supports, compression stockings and other types of medical equipment to patients on the basis of need.

In order to avail the benefit of the scheme, the family members of the patients, bed-ridden or aged should approach the medical centre to get the free equipment. They should submit a request along with the proof of their income to know if they fall under the criteria set by the government to avail the benefits of the scheme.

The Heads of Area Development Society (ADS) and Community Development Societies (CDS) of Kudumbashree will monitor the execution of the scheme.

M V Ramsi Ismail, corporation Kudumbashree project officer, said the project is expected to benefit around 5,000 beneficiaries in the corporation limit. "The beneficiaries need to return the medical equipment once their usage is over. The scheme will be expanded in a large scale covering all the income group categories on the basis of response received," he said. TNN