About the scheme

The Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Assam has launched a scheme namely "Sneha Sparsha" –a Health Care Initiative for Children whereby financial assistance shall be provided for specialized treatment of Children below 12 years of age afflicted with some serious ailments. The following guidelines are issued for operationalization of the scheme:

Eligibility:

All Children below 12 years of age will get the benefits under this scheme with no bar of annual income.

Place of treatment:

Treatment of the some of the admissible procedures under the scheme may be done in the Medical College Hospitals and other Hospitals inside the state, whereas treatment of some of the diseases may require referral to suitable Health Institutions outside the state, Sneha Sparsha committee shall recommended , depending on the merit of the case, either referral of a case for super specialty treatment outside the state, or consider reimbursement of the medical expenses incurred while undergoing treatment in the Medical Colleges Hospitals and other Hospitals of the state. For the purpose of referral, the Committee shall also recommend the designated Hospitals outside the State. For both the groups, financial assistance will be offered under the Sneha Sparsha Scheme.

Permitted procedure and the maximum amount admissible:

The rates notified are indicatives and the actual admissible amount shall be fixed through a transparent process.

i. Bone Marrow Transplant:

Children with Leukeumia (Blood Cancer) and other conditions like Thalassemia, in which Bone Marrow Transplant may be considered as a mode of treatment. The Snehasparsha Scheme will offer financial assistance up to Rs. 15.00 lakhs per case for referral of such cases to leading Hospitals outside the state equipped with facilities for such treatment.

ii. Cochlear implant:

Children in need of Cochlear implant will be given assistance up to Rs. 5.35 lakhs per case for referral of such cases to Public/ Private hospital outside the State or in the State including Medical College & Hospital, if necessary.

iii. Liver transplant:

For children in need of Liver Transplant, the scheme will offer financial assistance of up to Rs. 16.00 Lakhs per case. Necessary arrangement shall be made for referral of such cases to leading Hospitals outside the state with state –of –the art facilities for such treatment.

iv. Kidney Transplant:

Similarly children in need of Renal Transplant will be given financial assistance up to 10.00 lakhs per case for referral of such cases Public/ Private Hospitals outside the State or in the State, if necessary.

v. Artificial Limbs:

Children in need of Artificial Limbs will be provided with financial assistance of up to Rs.2.00 lakhs for Cosmetic Limbs and up to Rs. 5.00 Lakhs if Motorized Artificial Limbs is considered necessary.

vi. Blood Cancer:
For treatment of Blood Cancer in children with Chemotherapy, financial assistance up to Rs. 5.00 Lakhs per case will be given.

vii. Specialized Eye Surgery:

For children in need of Specialized Eye Surgery like Retinal Surgery or Posterior Segment Procedures, an amount of Rs. Rs. 50,000/- will be given as assistance.

viii. Tumors:

Children suffering from various types of solid tumors needing costly investigations and treatment with Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy will be given financial assistance of up to Rs. 3.00 lakhs/- per case.

ix. Neurological Anomolies:

Children with born with Neurological Anomolies like Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida will be given assistance up to Rs. 3.00 lakhs for investigation, surgical treatment and rehabilitation.

X. Thalassemia:

Financial assistance of Rs. 3.00 Lakhs will be provided to children suffering from thalassemia , who are not fit for Bone marrow Transplant but require specialized treatment like spencectomy, blood and associated medicines.

4. Sneha Sparsha Committee:

The decision regarding admissibly of procedures under the scheme and place of treatment shall be decided by an Expert Committee, to be known as Sneha Spasha Committee' constituted for the purpose. The Sneha Sparsha Committee under Sneha Sparsha Scheme shall be constituted if the following members:
1. Principal cum Chief Superintendent, GMCH - Chairperson
2. Prof.& Head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery - Member
3. Prof. & Head of the Department of Clinical Hematology - Member
4. Prof. & Head of the Department of E.N.T -Member
5. Prof. & Head of the Department of Orthopedics -Member
6. Prof. & Head of the Department of disease related
to applicant - Member
7. Representative of Mission Director -Member
8. Superintendent, GMCH -Secretary

The applications from the parents of the children in need of financial assistance under this scheme shall be submitted to the office of the Mission Director and or to the Sheha Sparsha Committee, Sneha Sparsha c/o Gauhati Medical College. The applicants shall have to appear the Sheha Sparsha Committee along with the patient on an appointed date to be notified by the Member Secretary, and submit all necessary documents for verification. The final shall be done by Sheha Sparsha Committee on the basis of the documents received.

5. The procedure of Payments:

Under the scheme those conditions for which treatment is not available in state Government Hospitals/ Private Hospitals of Assam, would be considered for referral outside the state, and for the remaining procedures treatment would be given in the Government Hospitals of the state.

In case of state Government Hospitals, the Hospital shall provide a statement of requirement of fund in advance for a specific time period, preferably for 6 months , giving likely number of cases under each specified procedure and as per the admissible rates under the scheme. After utilization of the advance amount received, discharged from the hospitals shall have to provide final original bills and vouchers and list of beneficiaries for the amount spent along with the medical intervention conducted to the Sneha Sparsha Committee, who will verify and submit the same to MD, NHM, Assam Only on the basis of these documents and recommendation of the Sheha Sparsha Committee subsequent fund release to Hospitals shall be considered by NHM, Assam.

In case of treatment outside the State Government Hospitals, after verification of applications, the Sheha Sparsha Committee shall recommend for approval of MD, NHM, Assam. Once the approval of assistance is accepted by the MD, NHM the patient shall be issued a letter of approval "in Principle" as confirmation of assistance under the scheme. The committee shall recommend a suitable Health institution for referral, which shall be subsequently contracted by the beneficiary receiving "In principle" approval for obtaining confirmation and cost estimate of treatment.

The cost of travel and stay for obtaining treatment estimate from referral Hospital however, shall nor borne by MD, NHM office separately under the scheme. The Sheha Sparsha Committee shall certify the amount of treatment as per the estimate received from the referral Hospital, considering the maximum limit admissible for the condition under the Sheha Sparsha Committee. MD, NHM, shall sanction release of fund to the referral Hospital on certification from the committee, and as advance 50% of the amount shall be released to the Hospital for the treatment of the selected beneficiary. The remaining amount shall be released on receipt of the final bills. The Chief Coordinator of the committee shall ensure communication with the referral Hospitals at all levels and also ensure receipt of bills and vouchers from the Hospital after treatment.



Read Govt. Notification