The Odisha government on November 19 renewed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Prasanti Medical Services and Research Foundation (PMSRF) for the extension of free cardiac remedy providers to the needy kids of the state for the subsequent two years at Satya Sai Heart Hospital in Ahmedabad.

The hospital was roped in on November 18, 2018, for providing free cardiac services to children with cardiac ailments. As per the agreement, the Odisha government identifies and bears the transportation cost of ailing children. "All the services are provided free of cost. Till now, 1019 children have undergone cardiac surgery and cured of their heart ailments. The next batch of children with cardiac ailments will be sent for treatment soon after a brief pause due to the COVID situation," the state government said.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister said that his government is committed to make all efforts for fulfilling the healthcare needs of the people of the state, especially the under-privileged and the under-served, in an equitable, accessible, affordable, transparent and time-bound manner. One such remarkable step in this direction has been to ensure that the needy people of Odisha get free cardiac treatment and are given a new lease of life, he added. He further expressed happiness over free treatment of over 1000 patients from the state with cardiac defects since the agreement with the PMSRF a couple of years back.