Bengaluru: The State Government has come to the rescue of thousands of orthopaedic patients who have been waiting for the expensive Total Knee Replacement (TKR) surgeries. Come April, all Government hospitals will offer TKR procedures absolutely free of cost.

Giving a tough competition to private hospitals that held patients at ransom in performing TKR, the State Government will offer the service free. Acknowledging that procedures of TKR have turned out to be a big business in private hospitals these days, Health and Family Welfare Minister K.R. Ramesh Kumar said that patients need not rely on these hospitals when the State Government will come out with free treatment.

“TKR surgery, over the years, has become a big business among private hospitals. The cost for the surgery varies from hospital to hospital and a majority of the patients often get into a debt pool trying to get the surgery done. This move will put an end to such practice,” the Minister said.

The TKR procedure can cost anywhere between Rs.2 lakh and Rs.5 lakh depending on the age of the patients and implants that are used.

About 70 percent of the population are unable to bear the cost of the surgery and decide to spend their life with severe pain. But the Government’s decision will give them a new ray of hope.