Tenecteplase injection for heart attack patients is now available for free in Karnataka

Tenecteplase, a life-saving injection for heart attack patients, is now available for free in Karnataka, India, under the new Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti Yojana.

The initiative aims to improve heart attack treatment rates by providing this critical medication, which can cost up to Rs. 28,000 per dose, at no cost to patients in taluk hospitals across the state.

Tenecteplase is a thrombolytic drug that dissolves blood clots, restoring blood flow to the heart muscle and minimizing damage. Timely administration of this injection, ideally within the golden hour of a heart attack, is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

The Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti Yojana is part of the second phase of the Karnataka Heart Attack Management Program, which expands access to heart attack care in rural areas. The program also includes training for medical staff and deployment of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public places.

Speaking at the launch of the Karnataka Ratna Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti Yojana at the Dr. Veerendra Hegde Kalakshetra in Sattur today, Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said that the state government has launched the scheme to provide immediate treatment and medical facilities for heart diseases in all government hospitals for the poor and the general public.

He mentioned that in many cases, the heart stops beating before reaching the hospital in a heart attack situation, and death occurs due to a lack of proper treatment for heart diseases in taluk hospitals. To prevent this, the government has implemented the Hrudaya Jyoti Yojana to extend heart health and medical facilities to taluk hospitals as well.

The Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti Yojana has been implemented in 71 taluk hospitals and 15 district hospitals in the first phase of the state. 65 cardiologists from various district hospitals will be in touch online in this service and provide their advice and guidance for the health and life of the patient.

The Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti Yojana is an important scheme, and in case of a heart attack, an injection worth Rs. 30,000 will be given free of cost. The scheme will be extended to all taluk hospitals in the state in the coming year.

The minister highlighted that measures are being taken to provide primary treatment to people with heart disease in railway stations, bus stands, and densely populated areas. Defibrillators are being made available outside hospitals for the first time.

The government’s goal is to provide good quality healthcare to all the people of the state, and in this direction, steps are being taken to upgrade hospitals, supply modern medical equipment, and implement many reform measures.

Speaking on the occasion, Labor and District In-charge Minister Santosh Lad said that this is a national model scheme. It is very useful for the poor and rural people. The state government has implemented five guarantee schemes for the development of the poor, rural, women, and socially and economically backward people. We have already implemented pension schemes like Sandhya Suraksha. Our government is committed to the development of the helpless and the poor.