NIMS ‘free heart ops’ claim needs a heart beat
A report says NIMS will start free paediatric heart surgeries on August 13. The director’s appointment is on record; the programme is not.
The proposed programme remains without a publicly located circular, funding note or access details.
A report doing the rounds credits NIMS Director Prof Rahul Devraj with announcing free heart surgeries for children from August 13. What is on the record today: Dr Rahul Devraj was appointed director of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, in June, for three years under the NIMS Act. What is not on the record: any NIMS circular, Telangana Health Department order, funding note, eligibility criteria or registration details for a free paediatric cardiac programme.
According to the appointment report and the CDSCO expert list, Dr Devraj (Devaraj) is a professor of urology at NIMS and now heads the institute. On taking charge, he spoke of providing “state-of-the-art, high-quality, and accessible” services. None of the documents or official listings located mention free paediatric cardiac surgery, an August 13 start date, or how families can access it.
This is a public hospital and a life-or-death specialty. If the BJP-led Centre can find hours for slogans and months for file clearances, it can also manage one piece of paper confirming who pays and who qualifies. Until NIMS or the Telangana Health Department issues a circular, parents should treat the August 13 claim as just that — a claim.