Patna: In a first, AIIMS Patna has performed a kidney transplant under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, bringing the expensive procedure within reach of economically weaker patients. A 31-year-old man from Pachgachhiya in Darbhanga district was discharged on Wednesday after a successful transplant, with his 24-year-old wife donating a kidney.The procedure was the institute’s 15th kidney transplant and the first covered under the govt health scheme. It cost around Rs 3 lakh, doctors said.AIIMS Patna executive director and CEO Prof (Brig) Dr Raju Agarwal said cashless kidney transplantation under Ayushman Bharat would be a boon for poor and needy patients in Bihar. He said the scheme would ease the financial burden on families and ensure that the high cost of complex procedures did not prevent patients from accessing life-saving treatment.Dr Amaresh Krishna, head of the department of nephrology, said the scheme also covers essential medicines for one year after transplantation as well as treatment of post-operative complications, ensuring continued care during the critical recovery period.Dr Kamlesh Gunjan, head of the department of urology, said bringing kidney transplantation under the scheme would provide substantial financial relief to disadvantaged patients who might otherwise struggle to afford the procedure.The institute said the milestone was part of its efforts to combine advanced medical services with public healthcare initiatives and make specialised treatment more accessible across Bihar.
