Question : ECONOMIC GRANTS TO KIDNEY PATIENTS

(a) whether 90,000 citizens of the country die due to kidney failure every year;

(b) whether 90% persons out of them remain deprived of medical facilities due to their inability to bear the expenditure being incurred on kidney transplantation;

(c) if not, the reaction of the Government in this regard;

(d) whether the Government have made any special arrangement for the poor people to provide medical facilities at cost within their reach;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI N.T. SHANMUGAM)

(a)to(e): No reliable data is available with the Government. However, a National Illness Assistance Fund was set up by the Government in 1997 to provide necessary financial assistance to patients below the poverty line and suffering from major life threatening diseases which include kidney related diseases also to receive medical treatment at any of the Super Speciality Hospital/Institute or other Government Hospital. The State Illness Assistance Funds/Societies are also empowered to sanction financial assistance upto Rs.1.50 lakhs in each case. In case the assistance required is more than Rs.1.50 lakhs, it is recommended to the Managing Committee of National Illness Assistance Fund for sanction, which is chaired by the Union Health Minister.

(f): In view of the position stated above, the question does not arise.