Jaipur: Rajasthan health department has directed private and govt hospitals to ensure that acid attack victims are given free treatment in medical facilities and to not turn away patients on grounds of lack of specialised facilities. Henceforth, acid attack victims seeking medical assistance will have to be administered first aid and the patient must be stabilised before she is transferred to a specialised facility for further care.Failure to comply will lead to action against hospitals and clinics, the govt said in a directive issued on Dec 29, which also said free medical treatment includes not only clinical care, but also medicines, hospital bed, and food.A senior health department official said, “All govt and private hospitals are directed to ensure complete compliance with the said guidelines. If they refuse to treat victims of acid attacks and other crimes or disregard and violate the said guidelines, action will be taken against the concerned hospital and clinic as per rules under BNSS provisions.”Hospitals where victims of acid attack are first treated have also be asked to issue a certificate that the individual was a victim of acid attack, which in turn may be used by the patient for treatment and reconstructive surgeries or to avail of other schemes they are entitled to.
