Provide free treatment to acid attack victims: Centre tells states

New Delhi: The Centre has asked all the states to issue instructions to government and private hospitals to provide free treatment to acid attack victims, Lok Sabha was told on Friday. [caption id=“attachment_2373724” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Health Minister JP Nadda. PIB[/caption] Union Health Minister JP Nadda said in a written reply that there is no report of refusal of treatment by AIIMS in Delhi as well as the other three central government hospitals in the national capital. “The Health Ministry has issued a letter dated 02.05.2013 to all state governments/UTs with a request to issue necessary instructions to all government and private hospitals in the states/UTs to provide free treatment to the acid attack victims as per the provisions of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013,” Nadda said. There is no report of refusal for treatment of acid attack victim at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Jawarharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puduchery and three central hospitals in Delhi - Safdarjung Hospital, RML Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated hospitals are concerned. He said that Supreme Court has passed an order directing states and UTs to ensure free medical treatment of the acid attack victims, which includes not only provision of physical treatment to the victims but also availability of medicines, bed and food in the hospital concerned. “The order of the Supreme Court has been circulated to all States/UTs to ensure compliance by all concerned,” Nadda said. The Health Minister said that a pilot programme was also started in 2010 by the Ministry for Prevention of Burns Injuries in three medical colleges and six districts hospitals of three states. He said that during the 12th Five Year Plan, this programme has been continued with the name ‘National Programme for Prevention and Management of Burns Injuries (NPPMBI)’ for establishing burns units in 67 state government medical colleges and 19 district hospitals. PTI