Funds shortage keeping thalassemia patients out of aid scheme
The Hindu
‘Samashwasam’ programme provides financial help to eligible patients
Shortage of funds is reported to be the reason behind keeping thalassaemia patients out of the ambit of the Kerala Social Security Mission’s ‘Samashwasam’ scheme to provide financial help to poor people. Eligible patients are given ₹2,000 a month under the scheme. According to sources, only sickle cell anaemia and haemophilia have been included in the category of common blood disorders though thalassaemia, a condition when the body doesn’t make the protein called haemoglobin, an important component of red blood cells, is considered a fatal disease as well. This condition leads to weak functioning and shorter life span of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all cells of the body. Kareem Karassery, functionary of the Blood Patients Protection Council, Kerala, claimed that the fatal nature of the disorder leads to frequent hospitalisation of the patients and high cost of treatment. He claimed that they were forced to depend on hospitals at least every two weeks.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.