Indian diocese aids burns victims

(December 6, 2010) A free plastic surgery programme in an Indian diocese in Madhya Pradesh state has given a new lease of life to patients with burns, cleft lips and polio. The 10-day plastic surgery camp in Khandwa diocese, organized in collaboration with Interplast of Germany, treated 85 patients between Nov. 23 and Dec. 2. Divine Word Bishop Arokia Sebastin Durairaj of Khandwa told Ucanews agency the diocese met all the expenses for the camp and medicines and the local private Shubham Hospital cooperated. He said the Church is trying to give a new lease of life and hope to many poor people who suffer from such functional deformities in the region. The diocese has organized four similar camps in the past. A team of nine doctors from Germany and America helped in the camp, said diocese communication director Father Biju Devassy. The team conducted 85 surgeries during the camp, most of them burn cases.