Rs 7000 pension hike a big relief for chronic kidney disease victims

Bavana Krishnaveni, a chronic kidney disease (CKD) patient hailing from Jagati village of Kaviti mandal in Srikakulam district, had to sell her three acres of coconut grove for treatment. 

SRIKAKULAM: Bavana Krishnaveni, a chronic kidney disease (CKD) patient hailing from Jagati village of Kaviti mandal in Srikakulam district, had to sell her three acres of coconut grove for treatment. 

At one point of time, she had not enough money for her medicines though she was getting Rs 3,000 as a social security pension. It all changed when the pension amount was increased to Rs 10,000 by the government two months ago. 

“Though she used to get the social security pension, it was not sufficient for even her medicines. With Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy increasing the pension amount to Rs 10,000 from Rs 3,000 for CKD victims, it has come as a relief for her. Now, she can afford her medicines,” said her nephew Gonapa Rambabu.

As part of the election promises made to the people, Jagan Mohan Reddy increased the pension to CKD patients from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000 two months ago.   Similarly, Podiya Madan, a native of Sreeharipuram of the same mandal, has been undergoing dialysis at the Kaviti dialysis centre.  He has been suffering from CKD for the last three years. As he was a daily wage earner and the only breadwinner of his family, he borrowed money to support the family. As the CKD turned severe, he was not able to go for work. 

To support the family, his wife started working as a daily wager. The increase of pension has come as a huge relief for Madan’s family. About 558 CKD patients, undergoing dialysis at various hospitals in Srikakulam district, are getting social security pensions, said Dr B Surya Rao, the district coordinator for hospital services.

“We have been providing pension to almost all eligible patients who are undergoing dialysis at various hospitals, including private ones. Earlier, we used to give pensions to patients undergoing dialysis only in government hospital. More than 13,000 people were found to have abnormal levels of serum creatinine in a survey conducted in Uddanam region in 2017. The survey was conducted in 176 villages of seven mandals in 2017, “ he told TNIE.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com