13 medicos from Aarti Medical Foundation running the scheme for the past two years.
In Hadapsar, birth of a girl child is now celebrated with much gusto by most families. Reason: right from delivery to treatment, Hadapsar doctors are ensuring that all services are free for the infant girl.
Making the phrase ‘Laxmi aali’ come true for girls are a group of doctors who have shown that a girl only adds to the savings kitty of a family, unlike the general belief of her being a financial burden.
Even as DNA reported about Hadapsar doctor Ganesh Rakh who waives off all delivery charges if a girl is born at his hospital, it has now come to light that a group of 13 doctors (mostly family physicians) have been running a similar initiative since the last 2 years in Pune. Under this special initiative, they do free immunisation, medical treatment and even hospitalisations at basic costs if required for girl child up to the age of 1.
Leading the pack is Dr Viraj Sonawane, a family physician who practises at Malwadi Road in Hadapsar. He founded a non-registered organisation Aarti Medical Foundation under which 13 doctors are carrying out the scheme for girls.
“I have been practising for 15 years and noticed a great disparity when it comes to parents seeking medical treatment for children,” Sonawane said.
When it came to boys, if they sneezed in afternoon we saw the parents queuing up in my clinic by evening. But some families didn’t bring girls until the matter became serious. Due to such behaviour, not only did health of girls got affected but some died as well. It hurts me a lot and I decided to do something about it,” Sonawane added.
The doctor decided to take the financial burden off families in a bid to improve their behaviour towards infant girls.
“From 2010, any girl below 1 year of age is treated free of cost. I don’t charge anything for consultation, give them free generic medicines and if they are admitted to my hospital, there is no cost. Also, I have tied up with certain chemists and laboratories who offer drugs and investigations at concessional rate to these patients. Later, my colleagues saw the positive response it generated and many agreed to join my initiative,” said Sonawane.
One such doctor is Harshavardhan Mhatre who also practises in Hadapsar. “The satisfaction that I get from this work of being a part of campaign for equal rights of girl child is unmatched,” he said.
According to Dr Swapnil Patil, another member of the group, said that on an average, about 250 girls under 1 year take treatment from their clinics on a monthly basis.
“In fact, even if they require advanced ICU admission, we have contacted few hospitals and doctors who offer concessional rates to girls since they know we have referred them under our scheme,” said Dr Nilesh Mali who practises at Sasanenagar. Many parents who have taken treatment under this scheme now feel that their boys are being discriminated.
“I have twin children, one boy named Sairaj and girl Swarali, both aged six months. Whenever I get the girl for treatment or immunisation, the doctor doesn’t charge a rupee. But for the boy, he charges full fees. I don’t have to bother about even carrying my purse if my daughter is not well,” said Rupali Umesh Badade, mother of twins from Hadapsar.
@alifiyakhan
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