GSVM to treat acid burn victims free of cost

KANPUR: The GSVM Medical College is among the three specialised centres in the state selected by the Centre for providing free treatment and plastic surgery facilities to acid attack victims, said a doctor of the hospital.

The other two centres are King George Medical University in Lucknow and Motilal Nehru Medical College, Allahabad.

The action follows directives of Supreme Court with regard to treatment and plastic surgery of acid burn victims.

The Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare has already released ₹6 crore each for centers in Lucknow and Allahabad while GSVM was still awaiting the funds, said sources who are in the know of things.

Head of department of surgery at GSVM Dr Sanjay Kala said the order regarding the same was received by the medical college on Thursday.

“We have submitted a plan for four floor separate building for setting up plastic and burn department to the government.”

Till now the medial college gets about 20-25 cases of burn related corrective surgeries every year. But the treatment is expensive and also causes emotional trauma to the victims as well as their kin.

Plastic surgeon and nodal officer at GSVM Dr Prem Shanker said: “To assist families affected by acid attack the central government has created these centers where victims would be treated free of cost through plastic, corrective, tissue expander surgeries and prosthesis. The family and the victim would also be given psychological treatment which was till now not possible at personal level.”