Now, free treatment for acid attack survivors
GESTURE State govt to bear all expenses on plastic, corrective surgery and psychological treatment
LUCKNOW: The state government has decided to provide free medical aid and corrective surgery to acid attack survivors.
In May, Hindustan Times had carried a news report about the state government’s plan to provide free treatment to acid attack survivors. The English daily had launched a campaign highlighting the plight of acid attack survivors and sought a ban on sale of acid in the state.
“The state would bear the entire cost of survivors’ treatment (both initial and reconstructive surgeries) at all government hospitals, medical institutes and colleges, SGPGI, RIMS Saifai, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences and KGMU. Provisions for free treatment would also be applicable at all state medical colleges across UP,” said BS Bhullar, principal secretary, medical education.
He said the treatment includes all types of corrective surgeries, plastic surgery, psychological treatments etc -- the cost of which would be borne by the state government.
Bhullar also told that since specialised services for treatment of acid attack injuries were not available at all medical colleges and hospitals across the state, the victims could go to their nearest hospital for first aid and thereafter go to the SGPGI or the KGMU for further treatment.
Dr Rajeev Agarwal, professor and head, department of plastic surgery at SGPGI, has been made the nodal officer for this scheme and all those in need of any surgery or treatment can contact him on phone number 0522-2495605.
While provisions of treatment for acid attack survivors already existed at the KGMU, the newly built plastic surgery ward of the SGPGI would be a great help for the survivors. Equipped with the latest technology, infrastructure and an experts’ team of doctors, the ward would offer all possible surgeries, care and treatment to the victims, said officials.