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Doctors raise money for 8-year-old tribal girl from Nandurbar in hospital

Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital has written to insurance provider to add neurosurgery code under hospital

Ravita Valvi had suffered a spinal fracture after she fell from a tree in her village Khadkiya in Nandurbar in September. (File)

DOCTORS at Gokuldas Tejpal (GT) Hospital, where eight-year-old tribal girl Ravita Valvi from Nandurbar has been hospitalised for two months, are raising money through social workers to help the family even after the girl gets discharged in about a week’s time.

In September, Ravita suffered a spinal fracture after she fell from a tree in her village Khadkiya in Nandurbar. Her parents carried her in a makeshift stretcher first to the rural hospital, from where they were referred to three other hospitals, including KEM Hospital in Mumbai, before they reached GT hospital, in October. By then, Ravita was a paraplegic, losing all nerve sensations from waist down. The family faced a tough time communicating with doctors in their tribal language.

The tribal girl was enrolled under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, which provides health insurance to economically backward patients. She underwent a spine surgery that required 12 screws to be fitted in the backbone. The scheme, however, only covered the cost of eight screws, each pegged at Rs 3,500-4,000. In addition, during her two-month hospitalisation, the medicine bills added up to Rs 40,000. The implants cost another Rs 40,000. While the government-funded health insurance scheme approved Rs 34,000 for her surgery, the costs crossed Rs 80,000. According to officials, the hospital has written to the insurance provider to add neurosurgery code under the hospital, so that her future surgeries receive a higher insurance coverage.

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Doctors at the hospital claim the state government had assured free treatment for Ravita. Health Minister Deepak Sawant visited her in October and assured free treatment. “We are not charging the patient. But we have not got the funds as promised. We are still waiting for it to be released,” a doctor said. Doctors have now asked hospital social workers to arrange for donors to provide funds for Ravita’s surgery conducted in September. They hope to not only recover the surgery cost, but also get funds for a wheelchair, future treatment and medical requirements for Ravita.

“We had discussions with an NGO for a wheelchair,” said hospital superintendent Dr MB Tayade. The tribal native has a bedsore measuring one centimetre. Once it is healed, she will be discharged. A physiotherapist is visiting her daily for leg and hand exercises. She was put on multi-vitamin and calcium to reduce malnourishment. “Her nerves were also torn. And certain special medicines had been administered to her,” a treating doctor said.

Festive offer

According to social worker Anand Sitap, Rs 12,000 has been raised through donors so far. “Chetna Foundation has agreed to fund a basic wheelchair. We hope to raise over Rs 60,000 for her medication,” he said.

First uploaded on: 21-12-2017 at 03:56 IST
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