Coronavirus Warrior: Hyderabad Doctor Treats COVID-19 Patients For Just Rs. 10

Hyderabad: With an intention to provide treatment at an affordable price to the economically down classes of the society, a doctor in Hyderabad has been treating people by charging them just Rs 10. Since 2018, Dr Victor Emmanuel has been treating poor patients at his clinic in Boduppal in Hyderabad for Rs. 10. People with a white ration card or a food security card are charged this fee while soldiers are provided free treatment. Speaking to ANI, Dr Victor Emmanuel said, “I started this clinic with the sole purpose of serving the needy people and offering them an affordable treatment. Under this, we have identified few sections of society who are economically deprived groups and who hold food security cards or white ration cards. Apart from them, we provide the same service to farmers, acid attack victims, orphans, differently-abled people and even to jawans and their family members.”

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He also said that an effort is made to try to cut down the cost of various lab tests and medicines for the needy people. The doctor treats people for various diseases like diabetes, cardiac-related issues, nerves-related issues and other general ailments. While many private hospitals and clinics have been charging patients hefty amounts for treatment, Dr Victor has been treating COVID patients for Rs 10, providing them the required medication and helping them in home isolation. He said that currently they are treating over 100 patients per day and initially when the cases were surging, the clinic used to have a footfall of over 140 Covid patients.

Sometimes, we used to close the hospital at mid night and on a day-long duty, we used to treat over 140-150 patients. On average we look at over 100 patients currently, he said.

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He mentioned that over the last one year, they have treated over 20,000 to 25,000 Covid patients. Speaking up about financial management, Dr Victor Emmanuel said that initially they were hesitant to run a clinic by just charging Rs 10. However, as people started to identify with the cause behind starting this clinic, they started showing up and now the project is ‘for the patients and by the patients’. Dr Victor said that one particular incident has changed his perspective towards treating people.

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Once I saw a woman begging on the roads in front of a hospital so that she could buy medicines for her husband who was under treatment in the ICU of the hospital. This incident changed my life. That is when I have decided to serve the needy and poor. Throughout this journey till date, my friends and family, including my wife who herself is a doctor, have been supportive.

He further said that many people ask him why he doesn’t provide free treatment instead of charging Rs 10. To this Dr Emmanuel says,

I charge them Rs 10, because I don’t want the patients think that they are being given treatment out of someone’s mercy. This is to safeguard their self-respect. They walk in the clinic, pay Rs 10, get themselves checked and walk out happily without having a feeling that someone had shown mercy to them and their financial status.

He further said that during the pandemic, they are trying to feed the poor and needy under the banner of ‘Sneha Hastham’. He also said that they are about to open a charitable hospital to extend the Rs.10 treatment to a larger number of people.

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.