Thiruvananthapuram, Friday 19 March 2010: The State has been implementing very unique and exemplary schemes in the social welfare sector for providing social security to the masses, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said.

Inaugurating ‘Thaalolam,’ a scheme devised by the Kerala Social Security Mission to provide free medical treatment to all children below 18 years of age for various illnesses, here, V.S said that henceforth, no child would go without medical care just because the family could not afford the treatment.

The newly enhanced Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme being implemented by the State would give medical benefits up to Rs.30,000 a year to 35 lakh families this year.He said the officials concerned should take special interest to ensure that the benefits of the scheme reached all needy families.

The scheme ‘Thaalolam’ will benefit several children with serious illnesses, including cardiovascular and renal diseases, cancer, neurological disorders, cerebral palsy, haemophilia, thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia and Guillain Barre syndrome and those suffering from the ill effects of Endosulfan use.

Apart from seriously ill children, the scheme will help all APL and BPL families access emergency medical care or surgery for children without incurring heavy costs.

Free treatment will be given to children who have been registered at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, all government medical college hospitals, the Regional Cancer Centre, the Institutes of Maternal and Child Health at Kozhikode, Thrissur and Kottayam, the Malabar Cancer Centre and the Pariyaram Academy of Medical Sciences.

(News agency)