Following Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s announcement on 26th Jan that Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) treatment costs would be covered under government schemes, both Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations issued advisories confirming that such hospital expenses would be eligible for coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and Ayushman Bharat schemes. However, doctors have expressed concerns that the Rs 2 lakh cap on treatment costs for these schemes might not be sufficient to cover the high expenses involved for most patients.
Rajendra Wable, the dean of YCM Hospital in Pimpri Chinchwad, explained that previously, treatments like plasmapheresis were covered under PMJAY and Ayushman Bharat, with a cost limit of up to Rs 60,000. “In the past two days, we have now included Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IGIV) treatment under these schemes, with coverage of treatment costs up to Rs 2 lakh,” Wable added. However, a senior doctor at YCMH pointed out that the costs of IGIV treatment are high, and the current government schemes may not fully cover the expenses. A YCMH official confirmed that a 10g vial of IGIV has an MRP of Rs 20,799.
Chemist Rohit Karpe mentioned that there are two dosages of IGIV vials available in the market: a 5g vial priced around Rs 15,000 and a 10g vial costing approximately Rs 26,000, with variations depending on the supplying company. These vials are typically sourced from places like Navi Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad.
Dr. Pravin Soni, head of the medicine department at YCMH, said that IGIV is the first treatment option for GBS, and if the patient does not respond, plasmapheresis is considered. In some cases, additional doses of IGIV are needed if the patient shows no improvement.
State Health Minister Prakash Abitkar emphasized that hospitals should ensure that patients or their families are not burdened with unnecessary expenses. A relative of a 31-year-old GBS patient from Sinhagad Road at Sassoon General Hospital shared that they applied for the MPJAY scheme and had already spent Rs 20,000 over five days for the patient’s plasmapheresis treatment. “We are unsure how much more the government scheme will cover,” the relative added.
How Much IVIG Is Required?
For an adult, the recommended dose of IGIV is 2g per kg of body weight, with a maximum of 20g per day. For a person weighing 50kg, the total required dose would be 100g over five days, which would amount to around Rs 2.6 lakh for 10 vials of 10g each, priced at Rs 2,600 per vial. Additional charges, including ICU bed fees and other medications, will further increase the total treatment cost.
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