Explained: What is KARe, the new scheme for rare diseases by Kerala health department?
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Feb 16, 2024, 11:30 AM ISTThe Kerala government is launching KARe- Kerala Against Rare Diseases- to treat rare diseases. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will officially launch the scheme on Friday (Feb 16) in Thiruvananthapuram.
Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will make the official announcement of the care for rare diseases- 'KARe: Kerala Against Rare Diseases' project and inaugurate 42 urban public health centers and 37 isolation wards at the state level on February 16 at 4 pm at Tagore Theatre, Thiruvananthapuram. Health Minister Veena George will preside over the function. Local Self-Government Minister M.B. Rajesh and Education Minister V. Sivankutty will be the chief guests. Minister Veena George said that the Chief Minister is inaugurating three important projects in the health sector.
KARE Comprehensive Plan for Rare Disease Care
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The health department's comprehensive programme called KARe- Kerala Against Rare Diseases- for treating rare diseases aims to prevent rare diseases by early detection and treatment with the help of therapies and technical assertive devices, ensuring home care and providing psychosocial support to patients. This is a crucial step for Kerala in the field of rare disease treatment. The government had implemented a scheme to provide valuable drugs for rare diseases and a scheme to provide medicines for lysosomal storage diseases (LSD).
As many as 61 children were given medicines under both the schemes. SAT Hospital in the Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram was selected as a center of excellence for rare diseases. Through this scheme, a patient can be treated up to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh. However, even this amount is insufficient for the treatment of many diseases. Keeping this in mind, the government is implementing a comprehensive care plan for rare diseases.
Urban Public Health Centres
Urban Public Health Centers are being set up in the state to ensure comprehensive primary health care to people in urban areas. About 380 urban public health centers are being set up in the state. Today, 42 functional urban public health centers are being inaugurated. At present, there are 104 urban primary health centers and 2 urban social health centres. An amount of Rs 48 lakh has been allotted to each center to develop and convert them into urban public health centres, including infrastructure. A doctor, 2 staff nurses, a pharmacist and four staff members will be present here. Services are available at City Public Health Centers six days a week from 2 PM to 8 PM, except on public holidays.
State-of-the-art isolation wards for multipurpose
Isolation wards are being set up in all constituencies for multi-purpose as part of further preparing the health sector to deal with epidemics and other infectious diseases like COVID. Earlier, 10 of the 90 isolation wards approved for construction in the first phase had been inaugurated. Apart from this, 37 more isolation wards have been set up in the state. This Rs 250 crore project is being implemented by KMSCL using MLA Fund and KIIFB Fund equally. Isolation wards of 2,400 square feet area with all facilities including medical gas are constructed using pre-engineered structures. Each isolation ward is equipped with a 10-bed patient care zone, doctors' room, dressing room, nurses' station, emergency procedure room etc.
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