Patna, Sep 1 : The Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) launched in 2016-17, to provide dialysis services free of cost to people below the Poverty Line (BPL) is proving to be boon for people in Sheikhpura and adjoining districts of Bihar.

The dialysis center at Sheikhpura's Sadar Hospital is providing free dialysis services to people from economically weaker sections. It has made the treatment of kidney-related ailments accessible for the poor but also aiding them in saving money on treatment costs.

Patients from nearby areas like Lakhisarai, Jamui, Nawada and Nalanda are also benefiting from it, as they visit this centre for availing free services. This has reduced the need for them to travel to farther destinations for kidney-related treatment.

The five-bed dialysis center, started in Sheikhpura's Sadar Hospital was inaugurated on 18 August 2020 and has since then been a 'lifesaver' for many patients.

People are expressing deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the state-of-the art dialysis center. They also credited the Centre for saving many lives as they claimed that many patients failed to live longer due to the unavailability of dialysis services and also their inability to travel to bigger cities for treatment.

Those kidney patients who have their names registered in the ration card can avail the free services, they need to submit copies of their ration card and Aadhaar card.

Many patients as well as the centre in-charge also shared their experience with IANS.

The dialysis center in-charge, Uttam Kumar said: "All services here are free for people, with dialysis provided under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme."

A beneficiary said: "The facility here is good, everything is well-maintained and clean. We are extremely thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government."

Another beneficiary said: "The services here are free, and we are very grateful to PM Modi for providing them."

The service is operated under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP), which is part of the National Health Mission. Its main objective is to eliminate the need for rural and economically weak patients to go to big cities and provide them dialysis facilities in their own villages and cities.

Currently, the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Program (PMNDP) is in operation in all the 36 States/UTs in 751 districts of the country. There are a total of 1,704 operational centres, as on June 30, 2025.

/IANS