High Court asks AIIMS to perform
poor patient's surgery
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Friday
directed the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to initiate the
process of hip and knee replacement of a 38-year-old poor crippled patient who
has been suffering from Reiter's disease.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru directed the
patient Sarvesh to report at AIIMS on Monday morning, when the hospital shall
start the process. Reiter's disease, also known as reactive arthritis, is an
auto-immune condition that develops in response to an infection in another part
of the body.
Meanwhile, a representative of the
patient has been directed to approach Dr. R.N. Das, Medical Superintendent
(Nursing Homes) at the Directorate of Health Services, Delhi government, for
getting the requisite amount sanctioned for the treatment of the patient. The
court posted the matter for Oct 29.
In his petition,
Sarvesh said he has been left crippled and immobile because of the ailment and
urgently needs a total hip-and-knee replacement surgery but being poor he
cannot afford it as the treatment cost nearly Rs.8 lakh for Reiter's disease.
He has sought free treatment from the hospital.
Approaching the court through advocate Ashok Agarwal, Sarvesh
has said that his wife, the only earning member in his family, works as a
domestic help in Delhi on a meagre salary of Rs.4,000 which is insufficient to
feed a family of four, and it is thus impossible for him to arrange Rs.8 lakh
for the surgery. Sarvesh used to work as a casual labourer before he was
immobilised due to Reiter's disease in 2012.
The initial treatment,
at AIIMS, stopped the disease from getting aggravated. But his knees and hips
remain immobile. Sarvesh then went to Primus Hospital under the economically
weaker section (EWS)category for hip-and-knee replacement surgery where the
doctors referred him to AIIMS, saying the surgery involved too many
complications and could be performed only at AIIMS. He was admitted to AIIMS
and was given a date for the surgery, May 15. However, the surgery was not
performed as he was unable to pay for it.
Sarvesh said he made several representations to the AIIMS
authorities, Delhi government and the Union health ministry requesting them for
free treatment. However, the AIIMS authorities reiterated that the surgery
could not be performed until the money was paid.
Source: www.zeenews.india.com 27.09.2014
Expenditure on health must rise
significantly: President
Puducherry: Calling India's expenditure
on the health sector "woefully meagre", PresidentPranab
Mukherjee Friday said the country needed a holistic healthcare
system that is universally accessible, affordable and effective.
Speaking at the Golden Jubilee
celebrations of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and
Research (JIPMER) here, Mukherjee said the health sector needed more funds to
ensure universal health coverage.
"There are seven hospital beds per
10,000 people in India, compared to 23 in Brazil, 38 in China and 97 in Russia.
Similarly, there are seven physicians per 10,000 people in India as compared to
19 in Brazil, 15 in China and 43 in Russia," the president said.
"Health services are still constrained
by its reach and quality and public financing for healthcare in India is less
than one percent of the world's total health expenditure. As Indians are a
sixth of humanity, this is woefully meagre," he added.
"Our expenditure levels have to
rise significantly to ensure universal health coverage."
The president said due
to the increasing trend of lifestyle-related diseases, precautionary strategies
have become important and calls for proper counselling.
"Healthy living has to be fostered from a very young
age. Obesity in childhood can lead to health complications later. Balanced
diet, physical activity and lifestyle management have to be promoted," he
said. In addition, special interventions are necessary for newborns as the
first four weeks of life, during which 44 per cent of deaths of children below
five years occur, are crucial.
Stressing that
"hygiene and sanitation play an important role in preventing the spread of
diseases", Mukherjee said he was hopeful that under the Swachh Bharat
Abhiyan, the country would be able to cover every household in the next five
years.
The president called upon JIPMER to aim to enrich its
research-based publications, go for patent filings, and develop models
addressing common health problems by integrating Indian systems of medicine.
Source: www.zeenews.india.com
27.09.2014
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge but rather a lack of
will
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