In a heartening development, a young girl from Palakkad, Kerala, who had her right arm amputated following alleged medical negligence, is finally set to receive a prosthetic limb. The intervention came from both the state government and the opposition, ending months of uncertainty for her family.
Government Steps In With Financial Support
After facing criticism for a delayed response, the Kerala government has now issued an order to ensure protection for the girl, Vinodhini, through the sponsorship scheme of the women and child development department. Considering the urgent need for financial assistance, her name has been included in the sponsorship scheme under Mission Vatsalya, with the required approval granted. The substantial amount needed for the advanced prosthetic arm will be provided from the Child Fund.
Opposition Leader Initiates Immediate Action
The process gained momentum after Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan promised to arrange for the prosthetic arm. Satheesan brought Vinodhini from Palakkad to Kochi's Amrita Hospital on Saturday morning, where all necessary tests were completed. Measurements for the prosthetic arm, which has to be specially ordered from abroad, were taken promptly.
"The full payment required by the agency manufacturing the prosthetic arm was made this morning. The prosthetic arm is expected to be ready within two weeks," Satheesan stated. He added that follow-up examinations after fitting would be completed within a maximum of three weeks. The opposition leader had stepped in due to the lack of a positive response from the government side in the three months since the tragic incident.
A Tragic Sequence of Events
The ordeal began on September 24 last year when Vinodhini, a Class IV student, fractured her right arm after a fall while playing with her brother. She was first taken to the Palakkad district hospital. Her parents alleged that doctors there failed to treat a small open wound that accompanied the fracture.
Her condition deteriorated over the following days, leading to her admission at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. There, doctors delivered the devastating news that the damage was irreversible, making amputation necessary. The procedure was carried out in October. Following the incident, two doctors at the Palakkad district hospital were suspended.
Family's Struggle and Previous Aid
Vinodhini's parents, R. Vinod and Praseetha, are daily wage workers from Pallassana in Palakkad. Since the amputation, they have been struggling to arrange a prosthetic arm for their daughter, facing immense financial and emotional hardship. The family had alleged a lack of continued support from the government after the initial incident. Prior to the current sponsorship, a sum of Rs 2 lakh was sanctioned from the chief minister's relief fund to aid them.
The combined efforts have now paved the way for Vinodhini to regain a significant degree of functionality and hope for the future, marking a crucial step in her long road to recovery.
