Knee patient hopeful as implant rates slashed

The first knee surgery that Gyan Singh, 76, underwent left his daughter and son-in-law nearly bankrupt. In dire need of another implant, Singh was at his wits’end when the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s (NPPA) decision to slash prices of knee implants came as a blessing at just the right time.

Earlier, a standard knee replacement cost Rs 158,324 but thanks to the government regulatory agency, it will now cost Rs 54,720 — almost one-third of the prevalent rate.

Singh was admitted to a private hospital in September last year after his family could not secure a bed in a government hospital. A week in the private hospital cost the family over Rs four lakh. To add to their woes, Singh’s knee got infected as he is a diabetic. He was then shifted to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, where doctors advised him to get another implant.

Devendra Singh Bisht, Singh’s son-in-law, said: “He lives alone on his pension. We tried to help but we also do not have much. Knowing this, he refused to get the second surgery done. He did not want us to spend lakhs on him. But it was so difficult to see him in pain.”

The second surgery, …read more