Interim govt assures lifetime treatment for injured in meeting with their reps

Arrangements will be made to provide lifetime medical treatment and rehabilitation for the injured protesters and victims of the student-led July-August mass movement, said Professor Dr Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser.
He made the remarks after a meeting with the representatives of the injured at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the Secretariat on Thursday.
There will be dedicated beds in government hospitals across the country for the treatment of those injured in the movement, Dr Rahman said, adding that advanced treatment will be arranged abroad if necessary.
There will also be a unique ID card and all the benefits for the injured in the movement will be ensured through this ID card.
"They will receive free treatment for life from all government medical institutions in this country. The government will partially bear the medical expenses even in private hospitals with which the government has an agreement," he added.
The money the injured already spent on treatment at government hospitals will be refunded after receiving proper documentation, Dr. Rahman assured.
The meeting said those who lost eyesight in the movement will be given appropriate training according to their educational qualifications and ability to earn livelihood and related aspects. Financial assistance and employment will also be arranged for their family.
All the machines, medical services and any kind of equipment support will be ensured for those who have to suffer disability as a result of the protest.
Dr. Rahman said a support center will be set up for the injured by November 17th and it will receive and address the submission of complaints from the wounded.
The initiatives assured in the meeting will start coming into effect by December, he added.
"An outline of all the things we have said will be presented to everyone within the next five working days aed by looking at this written outline," he said.
Nahid Islam, adviser for the ministries of posts, telecommunications and information technology, said short-term measures will be taken for the treatment and rehabilitation of those injured in the uprising by December.
Later, long-term steps will be taken step by step, he added.
The meeting, chaired by interim govt's Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum, was also attended by Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan, Social Welfare Adviser Sharmeen Soneya Murshid, and Adviser Mahfuz Alam.
During the meeting, survivors of the movement placed a seven-point demand including equity in the quality of treatment received by any minister or adviser.
The advisers assured them of considering their demands.
Earlier on Wednesday, a section of those injured in the July-August uprising took a stand in front of the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), demanding better treatment and rehabilitation.
Their protest continued even in the middle of the night and later suspended upon assurance from the government of sitting with them to meet their demands.

[email protected]