Demand for Telangana’s Specialised Disabled Hospital Like BIRRD

Nalgonda: Advocacy for a dedicated hospital catering to the disabled in Telangana has intensified, drawing inspiration from the Balaji Institute of Surgery, Research and Rehabilitation for the Disabled (BIRRD) in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

Thousands of Telangana residents have benefitted from surgeries and treatments at BIRRD, which is operated by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The facility offers free medical care to individuals suffering from poliomyelitis, cerebral palsy, congenital anomalies, spinal injuries, and other orthopaedic disabilities, particularly assisting the economically disadvantaged.

Since the formation of Telangana state, disability organisations have been urging the establishment of a similar specialised hospital within Telangana. N. Srinivas, founder president of the Network of Persons with Disability Organisation (NPDO), highlighted that nearly half of the orthopaedic disabled patients receiving treatment at BIRRD are from Telangana. He pointed out that post-state formation, patients from Telangana have encountered technical hurdles and significant delays in securing surgical appointments at BIRRD. “We submitted a memorandum to the previous government requesting the setup of a dedicated hospital for the disabled, but our efforts were in vain,” Srinivas lamented.

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Vijay Bhaskar Goud, who served at Tirupati’s BIRRD for two years, emphasised the need for the Telangana government to spearhead the creation of a specialised facility under the Yadagirgutta Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam. Dr Goud explained that BIRRD not only performs corrective surgeries for orthopaedic deformities but also attracts patients from neighbouring states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha, contributing to surgical backlogs. “With the new state boundaries, BIRRD authorities are now treating Telangana patients as out-of-state, further complicating access. We propose establishing a 25-bed hospital at Yadagirigutta near the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, which could benefit from donations by devotees for its maintenance and growth,” he suggested.

Personal stories underscore the critical need for such a facility. Ramavath Sudhakar, a fluorosis victim from Sarampet district, shared his experience: “I underwent surgery for both legs at BIRRD 10 years ago. Today, I lead a normal life and work as a driver for private travel services. Without BIRRD, my life might have remained crippled like many others in my community.” Sudhakar believes that a similar hospital in Telangana would be a big boon for disabled people in the state.