The Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Relief Foundation Trust in Hyderabad provides subsidized dialysis treatments to patients who cannot afford the cost of the treatments.
The way they work is on the last Sunday of every month, they give dialysis coupons to patients - one coupon entitles a patient to one dialysis session. They give as many coupons as the patient wants. They have tied up with three hospitals in the city of Hyderabad - Mahaveer Hospital, Challa Nursing Home and Mahesh Hospital. The cost of dialysis at these hospitals is Rs. 800. The trust pays the hospitals Rs. 500 per coupon. The patient pays Rs. 300 to the hospital directly.
The members of the trust monitor the quality of the dialysis offered by visiting the hospitals regularly. They also offer Erythropoietin injections (which most dialysis patients need to take) at subsidized rates. The plan is to offer dialyzers and blood tubings at much lower rates and gradually to open their own dialysis center in the city.
Mr. Jain said that the trust realizes that kidney failure is a problem that needs lifelong dialysis treatments and is not a one time thing. In a country like India where most people pay out of pocket for their medical expenses, being on dialysis can prove to be a severe financial strain on the individual and the immediate family.
Many people simply give up and choose to die. This is the stark reality.
In such circumstances, the trust is actually saving lives and providing hope to hundreds of patients and their families. They currently are helping about 120 patients and funding about 1000 treatments every month.
If you are interested in contributing to this cause, please contact Mr. Inderchand Jain at 98852-98100.