Hyderabad’s Ten Rupees Doctor
Doctors and frontline workers have emerged as saviours for many ever since the pandemic began. Although many hospitals have been accused of charging heavily for COVID-19 treatment and compromising with the patient’s health, a doctor in the city of Hyderabad has come to many people’s rescue by treating COVID-19 patients for just Rs.10.
Dr Victor Emmanuel, who many recognise as a life-saver for COVID-19 patients, helps these people to treat the virus while staying in home isolation without having to go to the hospital in a time when several hospitals are struggling with shortage of beds and oxygen cylinders.
P Janaki Ram, an employee of Centre for Good Governance (CGG), whose seven family members recuperated after testing positive for Covid-19, spent only Rs 10,000 for the treatment. All the seven members were treated in home isolation under the doctor’s supervision. “If I had admitted my seven family members to a private hospital, the bill would have crossed Rs 25 lakh,” said Janaki Ram to The Times Of India.
Hundreds of families have recovered from the disease during the first wave and current wave under the doctor’s guidance.
Dr Emmanuel, a general physician, runs Prajwala Clinics at Boduppal in the city.
Speaking on this to ANI, Dr. Emmanuel said, “We provide treatment at Rs 10 & in some cases, we also provide free treatment. Over the last year, we were able to treat over 20,000 to 25,000 COVID patients exclusively.”
“I treated nearly 20,000 to 25,000 people having Covid-19 symptoms at an affordable rate. Another 500 patients were treated in the Covid-19 Isolation Centre. An old Medipally police station at Peerzadiguda was converted into a 30-bed isolation centre,” said Dr Emmanuel.
Dr Emmanuel said that so far, all his patients have recovered from Covid-19. “The Almighty has given me an opportunity to serve the needy. Most of them are struggling financially due to the lockdown. My consultation fee has been fixed at Rs 10 for a few families and is free for many poor families,” he said.
On an average, 70 to 100 people visit the clinic every day.
When Dr Victor Emmanuel was pursuing his post-graduation in medicine, he encountered an incident that was a life-changing experience for him. He came across an elderly man who was admitted to a Kerala hospital during his internship. Narrating the experience, he says that a starving woman was struggling to save her ailing husband. She used to eat one meal a day and beg on the road adjacent to the hospital, to meet the expenditure of buying medicine and for his treatment.
That experience made Dr. Emmanuel set up the Prajwala Clinic in Boduppal four years ago. And since its opening, he has been charging Rs 10 as consultation fee. Most patients are treated free. “Charging Rs 10 is to maintain the self-respect of patients and not make them feel guilty, if treated for free”, quips Dr. Emmanuel.
He revealed that his wife supported the decision of taking this medical service.” We decided that she would take care of the house. His wife Dr Vasavi works as a faculty member in a medical college in City.
“I also see patients at a government hospital. We provide free treatment to patients, including medicines and injections, like Remdesivir, oxygen supply, food,” he said.
He previously worked as a regular doctor in a corporate hospital, but had vivid intentions to serve humanity. “I never had to worry about running a family. My wife is my biggest support. She is independent. My family did not complain about my financial status. I give them how much I have and they claim it” the doctor added.
The clinic is visited by various categories of people, such as acid attack victims. It treats orphans free. “We don’t charge anything for economically weak patients. People who do not fall into these categories, offer what they can afford. On medicines 30-40 per cent discount is offered to them.” he said, adding on average he attends 120-130 outpatients and 70-80 inpatients. Their number has doubled during the second wave. Our clinic runs till 1 am for OPs, sometimes.
