Top UK doctors to treat acid attack and burn survivors free of cost in Delhi

A team of top UK doctors have come to the country to provide reconstructive plastic surgery for poor patients.

By: Anuradha Varanasi | | Updated: March 1, 2016 10:52 am

A team of 14 surgeons and doctors from the UK have travelled to Delhi recently to treat underprivileged patients free of cost. The initiative, known as Project Revive, aims to provide reconstructive plastic surgery for patients who have survived acid attacks, severe burn injuries and also those who have been born with a cleft lip or developed keloids. The main goal of this initiative is to help out poor patients from different parts of the country to be integrated back into society and lead a normal life post treatment. Also Read - DCGI approves Specialized Centre to conduct Clinical Trials for Plastic Surgery, Dermatology and Cosmetic Products in India

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The visit was organized by a UK based welfare charity Interplast, along with Ritanjali, a non-profit organization, and Dr Biplav Agarwal, the chief project co-ordinator, in association with W Pratiksha Hospital and AA Dermanscience in Gurgaon. Speaking to TheHealthSite, Dr Agarwal says, This will be a two weeks long camp starting from March 1, 2016 and so far, we have screened 70 patients from different parts of Delhi/NCR region. We have already scheduled 10 surgeries for Tuesday and Dr Charles Viva, a retired NHS plastic surgeon, will be heading a team of doctors. Our goal is to conduct 100 surgeries over the next 10 days and our focus is on patients who have survived acid violence and burn injuries, among others. Also Read - YouTube is a bad source for advice on plastic surgery, finds study

The initiative gained momentum over the last one month after awareness was created about this initiative through WhatsApp messages where people were encouraged to forward pictures and details of acid attack and burns survivors. We received really good response as we got more than 300 emails and pictures of patients in desperate need of plastic surgery. We ve been trying our best to revert to as many emails and messages as we can. In cases of out-station patients, the pictures are being forward to Dr Viva for screening purposes and based on the severity of the case, they will be selected for treatment, adds Dr Agarwal.

An entire floor of the Gurgaon hospital has been dedicated for treating patients who will be avail free treatment under this initiative. The funding was mainly received through individual donors in India. Dr Viva and his team have voluntarily travelled to countries like Uganda, Bangladesh and Pakistan to provide free surgeries for acid attack survivors and this year, we decided to call them to India. Initially, the plan was to provide reconstructive plastic surgery only for acid attack survivors but since we plan on providing this treatment to a larger number of patients, we decided to include cases of cleft lip and keloids, says Dr Agarwal, who is also dermatologist. Did you know acid attack survivors can avail of free treatment and reconstructive surgery throughout their lives?

It is estimated that every year in India, at least 1000 acid attacks take place and most of the survivors are women. Due to the free availability of acid in India, it is used in various gang fights and personal enmities. The reasons from attack on women range from a domestic violence, being rejected by the woman, and even in dowry cases. You can visit http://w-hospital.in/revive/ to learn more about this initiative. This acid attack survivor s make-up tutorial is the best thing you ll watch today.

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Published : February 29, 2016 6:20 pm | Updated:March 1, 2016 10:52 am

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