Under Mukhyamantri Chikitsa Abhiyan, people with less than Rs 2.5 lakh annual income and have undergone kidney transplant will soon get free medicine for life. The state health department is expected to issue a notification in this regard in a fortnight. Also those under the same income group and planning to get the transplant under the scheme in future will also be benefited.

On Monday, health secretary Sanjay Kumar told TOI that the state government has considered an average Rs15, 000 monthly medicine requirements for a person post kidney transplant under Mukhyamantri Chikitsa Abhiyan. Overall 250 people have undergone kidney transplantation under Mukhyamantri Chikitsa Abhiyan in and outside the state. Families with annual income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh are entitled for treatment under this scheme.

The department was looking at various factors before issuing a notification. Instead of giving money in the bank accounts, they are thinking of purchasing medicines in bulk and sending to the district hospitals from where patients can get their monthly requirement. This would serve two purposes — the medicine prices will reduce because of bulk purchase and the person will get the required medicine as s/he might not purchase it after getting money. Kumar also added that the bidding process for purchasing medicines will be initiated after the notification is issued.

Free medicines to patients undergone kidney transplant, was first announced by state health minister Mangal Pandey on May 26 during a programme organized at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) to mark 50 successful kidney transplants. Until now, IGIMS has successfully transplanted 54 kidneys. Pandey had said the health department will provide lifelong support to needy people even after kidney transplantation.

Doctors involved in kidney transplantation said heavy expenses is incurred on the patient after the operation as he has to spends Rs 30,000 every month on medicine and various other expenses after kidney transplant. A senior nephrologist at a city-based private hospital said that the total expense generally includes around Rs 15,000 on medicine and another Rs15, 000 on various tests required to be done every month. Though, the expenses on medicine and tests reduces with time, especially after five years, as the transplanted kidney gets adapted to the new body.