'Endo victims in DK likely to get cashless medical care'

 A cashless advanced medical care for Endosulfan victims in medical colleges and speciality hospitals is likely to be a reality soon in Dakshina Kannada district, said Nodal Officer for Endosulfan Rehabilitation Dr Arun Kumar.

Speaking at a district-level meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim here on Saturday, he said that plans are on anvil before Dakshina Kannada district Health and Family Welfare Department to sign MoU with speciality hospitals and medical colleges including KMC, Fr Muller Medical College, A J Hospital and Research Centre, KSHEMA, Yenepoya Hospital, Adarsha Hospital and K V G Medical College to provide cashless advanced medical care for Endosulfan victims.

The Nodal officer said that identity cards will be issued to 2,484 Endosulfan victims identified in Dakshina Kannada district, from January 25.  The identity cards will help the victims to avail medical benefits and other government benefits. At the same time, the ID card will have Aadhaar card number and APL/BPL card number to ensure that there was no duplication of the cards.

Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim directed health department officials to conduct a survey to ascertain the number of bedridden Endosulfan victims and chalk out plans to construct a permanent care centre.

When members of NGOs who are working with the Endosulfan victims demanded permanent rehabilitation facilities for the Endosulfan victims, the DC said that there was a need to collect opinions from parents, as many do not wish to send their kids to rehabilitation centres.

The DC also directed the officials to call for expression of interests from those who would like to run day care centres at Bellare, Vittal, Moodbidri and Kaniyoor, Thingalady and Nelyadi. 

             Re-survey

A campaign mode of re-survey to include all the left out Endosulfan victims in the previous surveys will be held from February 1, said the Nodal officer.

He said that the PHC medical officers can certify the victims. ASHA and junior assistants will visit houses to create awareness among the parents of the victims. The re-survey has been ordered following complaints by several victims who were left out in the previous survey list.

             Pension

The Nodal Officer said that the government has ordered to pay monthly pension of Rs 3,000 for those who are completely bedridden and suffer from 75 per cent disabilities and Rs 1,500 per month for those who suffer from 40 to 75 per cent disability, with effect from January 1. The pension will be distributed after the distribution of identity cards.

When Nityananda Pai of Endosulfan Victims’ Hitharakshana Prathishtana raised the issue of scanning of pregnant women, ZP CEO Thulasi Maddineni said that there was a need to recognise a scanning centre in the taluks, so that pregnant women can undergo scanning to find out anomalies and Down syndrome.

The Nodal Officer said that psychiatry, OBG, and orthopaediatrician will visit PHCs in Belthangady, Moodbidri and Kadaba once in a month to provide consultation to the Endosulfan victims.