Union govt stops funds, state allocates Rs 300 cr for Sishu Sathi
The Union government has ceased funding for Bengal’s Sishu Sathi scheme, prompting the Mamata Banerjee administration to allocate emergency funds of approximately Rs 300 crore to sustain the initiative, which provides children with critical heart surgeries free of charge.
Recently, funds were also halted for Suswasthya Kendras by the Narendra Modi government.
Consequently, the state Health Department is contemplating merging the Sishu Sathi Scheme with Swasthya Sathi to ensure that no children are left without access to healthcare.
An expert committee has submitted recommendations regarding this proposal.
According to sources, the Health Department had requested funds from the Union government to support the Sishu Sathi Scheme, but the latter insisted on renaming the scheme to ‘Rashtriya Bal Suraksha Karyakram’.
Each year, numerous children undergo essential heart surgeries for free, either in government-operated or private hospitals, thanks to Sishu Sathi.
