suparjya swain 
BHUBANESWAR: As part of a major public health initiative, 44 children from Odisha’s Ganjam district suffering from congenital heart disease (CHD) were sent to Mumbai on Monday to undergo free surgeries under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) scheme.
The children, aged between three months and 15 years, will be treated at Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital, where doctors will conduct detailed assessments before scheduling the surgeries. A team of four doctors accompanied the children and their parents to assist with coordination and medical supervision.
Speaking to reporters, Lopamudra Mishra, District Manager of RBSK, said the hospital’s medical team will conduct additional tests to finalize the surgery timeline based on the condition of each patient.
Before departure, Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer Dr. Bhabani Shankar Mishra and senior health officials extended their best wishes to the children and their families.
The children were identified during district-wide health screenings conducted by RBSK teams at anganwadi centres, schools, and colleges. Two mobile health teams led the screening process at the block level. After initial treatment at City Hospital in Berhampur, the children were referred to SRCC Hospital following medical recommendations for immediate surgical intervention.
Since the introduction of the RBSK scheme in Ganjam in 2016, a total of 668 children with CHD have received free surgeries. This is the first batch of patients sent for treatment in 2025, officials said.
The RBSK program, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, aims to provide early identification and treatment for children with various health conditions across India.
