Karnataka Provides Free Treatment for Monkey Fever to All Patients

In a huge move towards fighting Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), popularly referred to as monkey fever, the Karnataka government has made a declaration that all patients, irrespective of economic status, will receive free treatment. Initially, this was open only to below poverty line (BPL) families, but now it includes above the poverty line (APL) families too.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, during his speech on Saturday, confirmed that APL families suffering from KFD can now seek free treatment in hospitals registered under Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust. "This will bring relief to hundreds of families," he said.

Apart from increasing access to treatment, the government is also making efforts to develop a vaccine for KFD. Work is going on at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and initial trials have been found to be satisfactory. Human trials are to start in April 2025, and the vaccine is likely to be ready by 2026, subject to the results of clinical trials.

KFD is a viral haemorrhagic disease caused by a Flavivirus that is transmitted by ticks and has been spreading fast throughout Karnataka's Malnad and coastal districts, and adjacent states along the Western Ghats. The viral disease is said to have a mortality rate varying between 3% and 15%, which is much higher than dengue's 2.6% mortality rate.

The experts relate the growing transmission of KFD to factors in the environment, including deforestation, land-use changes, and poor rainfall. The illness has a seasonal pattern, with highest transmission in the summer months followed by a decline during the monsoon.

Ever since 2003, KFD has killed at least 59 individuals. Physicians are keen to highlight that even short delays in seeking treatment will lead to dangerous complications, like multi-organ failure, and is potentially deadly. In order to cut down the number of fatalities and impart urgent medical aid to the deserving ones, the government of Karnataka has increased monitoring and prevention mechanisms within the epidemic hotspots.

About Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust:

Karnataka has been at the forefront of successfully executing different health care schemes through Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust on an Assurance Mode, to the advantage of a vast segment of BPL and APL population in the State including Road Accident Victims within the State boundaries of Karnataka.

The success of implementation via Assurance Mode was supported by the fact that there was 64 % decrease in Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOE), mortality decreased by 64 % among BPL families and 12.3 % households are likely to receive hospital care –according to a World Bank Study. Hence continuing the mission of SDGs, the government decided to cover Universal Health Care in all three sectors of primary, secondary and tertiary care for all the people residing in Karnataka by collecting funds from different on-going Schemes.

Thus, the launch of the first-ever "Arogya Karnataka" to the people of Karnataka. Through this Karnataka stands tall as the FIRST STATE in the Nation to announce and initiate Universal Health Coverage to protect Karnataka people from poverty as well as to promote the overall health and happiness of the people of Karnataka.

(Input from various media sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)