Chandigarh, March 28 -- Over 190 patients suffering from rare diseases have been waiting in desperation for six months, hoping for grants under the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) to begin their urgent treatments at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER).

Already suffering from fragile health, these patients, several of them children, are also battling funding delay by the central government that has halted their desperately needed treatment.

Under the NPRD, the Union ministry of health and family welfare provides a one-time grant of Rs.50 lakh to rare disease patients after their application is approved by the Centre of Excellence (COE) committee for Rare Diseases. PGIMER is one of 12 such centres i...