Aster Hospitals to provide 1500 free MRI, CT scans to underprivileged people in K'taka in one year
Bengaluru (Press Release): In an effort to make quality healthcare accessible to the underprivileged people in the state, Aster Hospitals, Bangalore has announced to provide around 1500 free MRI and CT Scans for the needy in Karnataka for the next 1 year. The free medical investigations are being offered as part of Aster DM Healthcare’s 34th Foundation Day, under which the healthcare group has committed to provide 10,000 free medical investigations to the underprivileged people across India and GCC.
As a part of this initiative, Aster Hospitals Bangalore has also collaborated with four hospitals namely General Hospital Yelahanka, Devanahalli, Doddaballapur and Nelamangala in North Bangalore and three hospitals namely Sri Krishna Seva Ashrama, Sevakshetra Hospital and RV Institutes in South Bangalore and will provide free MRI and CT Scans to the underprivileged patients referred from these hospitals. The initiative will be run by Aster Volunteers, the CSR arm of the organization, and aims to tackle the immediate need for diagnosis and accurate treatment faced by many patients, underprivileged or under financial distress.
According to many healthcare experts, MRI and CT scans are some of the most expensive diagnostic tests due which several economically weaker patients are unable to afford them and are not able to get access to the much-needed medical investigations. This often leads to late diagnosis among such patients and further results increased disease burden and serious complications among them. With this initiative, Aster Hospitals Bangalore aims to help such patients with proper diagnosis and accurate treatment by providing high end investigations free of cost through Aster Volunteers.
Appreciating the initiative Dr. Manjula Devi, District Health Officer, Bangalore Rural district, Devanahalli, said, “We appreciate the Aster Hospitals, Bangalore for undertaking this initiative to support society by providing free MRIs and CT Scans to needy patients as part of their social endeavour. The Covid 19 pandemic has revealed the critical importance of accurate testing and reporting, something that has been advocated for multiple areas of public health. Early detection of diseases can enable early treatment and favourable outcomes. This initiative by Aster Hospitals will help many poor people who were unable to undergo testing due to its affordability and were deprived of the much needed timely medical attention.”
“MRIs and CT Scans are some of the expensive diagnostic tests that can incur a huge burden for the underprivileged. Because of their poor economic and financial background, many people are unable to afford these essential tests. We are glad to be part of this remarkable service and thank Aster Hospitals, Bangalore for this noble initiative which will help many needy patients now with high end investigations free of cost and this will help in timely treatment too. We hope that other private hospitals also come forward to help the underprivileged people get access to proper diagnosis,” said Mr. AVS Murthy, Hon. Secretary, Rashtriya Sikshana Samithi Trust.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr. S Ramesh Kumar, Chief Operating Officer, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore, said: “We have launched this initiative as our service to the humanity and is our earnest effort to help the underprivileged people get access to much needed medical attention and proper diagnosis. Our group has always believed in treating people with utmost dignity and has always valued their contributions. Therefore, with this initiative we believe that we will be able to serve all sections of the society to the best of our capacity and will be able to offer support to those who are in need for healthcare services.”
Sharing his thoughts on the launch of the initiative, Dr. Prashanth N, Chief Operating Officer, Aster RV Hospital, said: “Accessibility to healthcare services is a very important focus area for our group and through such initiatives we are aiming to bridge the gap between the healthcare services and the people. Under our new initiative, patients can choose for treatment by their doctor as per their requirement and are not required to visit the hospital after undergoing diagnostic scans. The service is open only to people below poverty line and the patients will have to approach the hospital with prescription for scans issued by a registered medical practitioner (allopathy) along with documents as proof of their income.”
Detailed list of the medical investigations has been provided by Aster Hospitals, Bangalore on the Aster Freein website along with the details of the application process. Any needy patient seeking to avail an investigation can reach out to the respective facility in Bangalore and also apply on the website, along with supporting documents. At the same time, needy patients can be referred by doctors (internal & external), NGOs, support groups, medical colleges/ authorities to the nearest Aster unit offering the free investigation.
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Manipur violence accounted for 97% of displacements in South Asia in 2023: Report
New Delhi (PTI): Conflict and violence triggered 69,000 displacements in South Asia in 2023, with Manipur violence alone accounting for 67,000, according to a new report.
The report by the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) termed it the highest number of displacements triggered by conflict and violence in India since 2018.
On May 3, 2023, a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in Manipur's hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The march led to ethnic clashes between the Meitei and the Kuki communities, ultimately claiming more than 200 lives.
The Manipur High Court had in March last year called for recommendations to be sent to the central government to recognise the Meitei community as a "scheduled tribe," an official status designed to protect minorities from marginalisation.
The call was met with resistance from other local scheduled tribes, including the Kukis.
Land disputes were also an underlying driver of the tensions.
"Protests turned violent in Churachandpur district on May 3, and the violence spread to other districts, including Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Tengnupal, and Kangpokipi, triggering around 67,000 displacements," the report said.
More than three-quarters of the movements took place within Manipur, but almost a fifth were to the neighbouring state of Mizoram and smaller numbers to Nagaland and Assam.
As the violence escalated, the central government imposed curfews, shut down the internet, and dispatched security forces.
It also set up relief camps and established a peace committee for Manipur, chaired by the state governor, but the initiative was hampered by disagreements about its composition.
All of those displaced by the violence were still living in internal displacement at the end of the year, the IDMC noted.
The IDMC said around 5.3 million people were living in internal displacement as a result of conflict and violence across South Asia at the end of 2023, 80 per cent of whom were in Afghanistan.
