Campaigns
Swasthya has chosen to start a campaign to support the acid attack victims. In many countries, the provisions for early medical response is very patchy and, often nonexistence by any standards. In the country like the United Kingdom, there were more than 400 incidents reported in just six months of 2017 incidences. In many countries, the provisions for early medical response is very patchy and, often nonexistence by any standards.
India is among a handful of countries that witness the maximum number of horrific acid attacks on women. It is a social menace where victims of this brutal “acid attack”, using a highly corrosive chemical face both physical disfiguring as well as mental health trauma. The ‘mind-set’ of the perpetrator and the choice of this weapon points to a focused obsession to inflict life-long suffering on their victims.
According to data released by National Crime Records Bureau, the India Today Data Intelligence Unit (DIU) has found that between 2014 and 2018, there have been 1,483 victims of acid attacks in the country. However, the acid attacks can’t be attributed an exclusive phenomenal to India and this is prevalent in many other countries, including the UK, which according to Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) the UK has one of the highest rates of acid attacks per capita in the world.
The victim dies ‘a hundred deaths’
Acid attacks completely spoil and mutilate the face of the victim. As the victims are often caught unaware of the impending danger and least prepared to react in time to protect their face and in particular ‘eyes’. The face is ‘trademark’ relevance for the human race. In particular, the female it is considered to be one of the most valuable assets, and when that is disfigured, their entire life turns topsy-turvy in those few seconds.
People with disfigurement are traumatized physically, psychologically and socially. Even with excellent medical care, the best that most of these people can hope for is survival. Many commits suicid. Here, the victim ‘dies ‘a hundred deaths. The trauma and pain that goes beyond the physical suffering is indescribable as much as understood. Many of those lucky ones who would have access of any relevant medical care and brave the procedures to salvage with possibly reconstructive plastic surgery, are still emotionally scarred for life.
The medical fraternity approach to the acid-attack could be best reflected in two distinct challenges; One of it is the prevention and the second is the care and welfare of the victims.
Swasthya campaign is aiming to:
- Promote improvement in provisions of healthcare services available at the point of needs for all the victims regardless of their ability to pay.
- Assist individuals’ victims in the process of resettlement and rehabilitation and offer help and assistance to the family in supporting the victim.
- Promote greater awareness among the communities to recognise that the victim faces a pervasive form of social stigma result in discrimination and undermine human rights and social rights that should not be tolerated in modern societies.
- Assist in improving training of the healthcare professionals involved in providing clinical and mental health support to the victims
Swasthya wants clinicians in areas of plastic surgery and mental health to assist this initiative.
If you wish to support this campaign and make donations, please contact: [email protected]
Provide your full name, quoting your interest and contact details.
Core team:
Mr Buddhdev Pandya
Mr C.R. Chandrasekar
Dr Satwinder S Basra