A four-year-old, Aftab Khan, has been waiting for a year to get a nod from the government for cochlear implants surgery. But further delay might make him deaf permanently.
Aftab, a Saki Naka Andheri, resident has been waiting for government’s approval for the surgery since November 20, 2014. On December 17, the family received an approval from the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped institution and, accordingly, a letter was sent on February 2015 to Dr Bachi Hathiram from Nair Hospital intimating him of the case. But despite visiting the hospital for more than 45 times, the child has not been operated upon yet. RTI activist Anil Galgali has lodged a complaint with Union social justice minister Thavar Chand Gahlot to initiate action but so far nothing has been done.
“What’s the point of announcing schemes if poor people can’t benefit from them The child has been waiting for a year for the operation. The more they delay the surgery, the more deafer he would become,” said Mr Galgali.
Bollywood actors Salman and Arbaaz Khan donated him a hearing implant machine worth Rs 1,13,500. But the machine proved futile as only the surgery can help him.
Talking to Abdul Rahim Khan, Aftab’s father said, “We have been given a date for the operation nine times. But every time I take my son to the hospital for the operation, the authorities delay or refuse to carry it out, giving excuses. My son is going deaf due to these delays and I don’t have money have him operated in a private hospital.”
In a similar case, Kalyan resident Shakir Beg’s son Hasnan and daughter Hamza have been doing the rounds of the institution for more than eight months now. In this matter, Mr Galgali had tweeted about the incident to the concerned minister, who in turn has asked for a request letter. Abdul mailed it on December 18 but no action has been taken since then.
