Rs 84 crore aid in 4 years, CMRF is saving lives in Gujarat: Govt

Gandhinagar, Sep 11 (IANS) As Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel marks four years in office on Saturday (September 13), the Gujarat government has underlined the role of the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) in making healthcare accessible to citizens facing severe medical crises.

Over the past four years, the fund has extended assistance worth more than Rs 84.29 crore to 3,761 patients for costly treatments such as organ transplants, cancer therapies, and cochlear implants.

The CMRF in Gujarat is a welfare initiative aimed at providing immediate financial support to citizens during critical situations.

The fund is primarily used to assist people suffering from serious and life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, kidney failure, liver and bone marrow transplants, heart surgeries, and other high-cost medical treatments where regular health insurance schemes or government programmes fall short.

Apart from healthcare, the CMRF is also utilised in times of natural calamities like floods, droughts, cyclones, and accidents to provide relief and rehabilitation to affected families.

Among the beneficiaries is 21-year-old Vadodara-based MBBS student Hetviben Shah, who received Rs 3.58 lakh for a cochlear implant that saved her academic career from being derailed by hearing loss.

Similarly, 71-year-old Ahmedabad resident Hajabhai Khunti, diagnosed with cancer, was sanctioned Rs 2.83 lakh towards his treatment at HCG Cancer Care Hospital. Both families said the timely financial help eased their burden and restored hope.

State officials said the CMRF not only provides economic relief but also serves as a source of emotional support for patients and families during life-threatening health battles.

Beneficiaries echoed this view, describing the fund as "a scheme with no parallel" and urged wider awareness so that more people in need can benefit.

The government, meanwhile, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the fund as part of its healthcare safety net for citizens.

The Gujarat government's official site for the CMRF notes that the fund is maintained via voluntary donations from any individual, NRIs, service organisations, industrialists, artists or writers, etc.

--IANS

janvi/svn