19 ailments, including Autism & Dementia, added to Haryana’s chronic illness list

Autism, dementia, bipolar disorder, and severe obsessive-compulsive disorder are now part of the government’s chronic illness list, benefiting numerous government employees, their dependents, and retired officials by granting them access to free treatment. The state government recently issued a gazette notification detailing the expanded list of 19 recognized chronic illnesses. The scheme can be availed at Haryana government hospitals. Around 3 lakh people are registered under this policy.

Officials said that the move aims to lower the burden of non-communicable diseases, which aren’t passed from person to person, but slowly worsen a patient’s condition with time. The diseases added to the list are autism spectrum disorders, motor neuron disease, chronic demyelinating disorders of central & peripheral nervous system, Addison’s disease, Cushing syndrome, spina bifida with neurological deficit, aplastic anaemia, myeloproliferative disorders, vitiligo, hidradenitis suppurativa, chronic spontaneous utricaria, lamellar icthyosis, bipolar disorder, severe OCD, dementia, cerebral vascular accident, intracranial space occupying lesions, polyarteritis nodosa and Sjögren’s syndrome.
“This list has comprehensive details of non-communicable diseases and this can benefit people.

The previous list was 18 years old and it required revision,” Dr Virender Yadav, chief medical officer, Gurgaon.