Now acid attack victims can avail of free treatment and reconstructive surgery throughout their lives

Now acid attack victims can avail of free treatment at any hospital. As per the supreme court s directives private hospitals across the country have to provide free treatment, including medicines and reconstructive surgery.

A bench headed out by Justice Madan B Lokur and UU Lalit, said that all state governments and Union Territories must take up the matter with private hospitals in their region and ensure that acid attack victims are attended to immediately.

Apart from that the bench also asked the MCI (Medical Council Of India) to consider and lead the issue of free treatment in private hospitals. This move was made after a PIL filed in 2006 by an acid attack survivor Laxmi, who said that the hospital where an acid attack victim was taken to after the incident must provide a certificate stating the same, allowing her to avail of free treatment across the country including surgeries required at the later stages.

Apart from that, in a step to prevent further attacks the court has directed all states and Union territories to make acid a scheduled substance and stop its unregulated sale across the country. The court further directed that the order should be sent to all district magistrates who will have to ensure that they help increase awareness amongst people.

The bench also has fixed a three lakh minimum compensation for acid attack victims for which the Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh said that adequate funds were set in place by most state governments.

So far apart from Andhra Pradesh and Telengana the highest acid attack rates were witnessed in Uttar Pradesh.

Image source: Getty Images

---

For more articles on Diseases & Conditions, visit our Diseases & Conditions section. For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter.