Hyderabad: 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. While this happens on one side, a doctor in the city has come to many people’s rescue by treating COVID-19 patients for just 10 Rs.
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.
Speaking on this to ANI, Dr. Emmanue 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.