Madras high court asks MCI to introduce trigger point therapy courses

Chennai: Noting that the Trigger Point Therapy, which has worked wonders on the 9-year-old boy, whose father sought permission for his passive euthanasia on the ground that the boy has been in Persistent Vegetative State since birth, the Madras high court has directed the Central government and the Medical Council of India to answer as to whether there is any Super-specialty Diploma or Super-specialty course available in Trigger Point Therapy  and Musculo-Skeletal Therapy and how many experts in the said techniques are available in India.

Passing further interim orders on a petition from R. Thirumeni, father of the boy T. Paavendhan, Justice N. Kirubakaran also said in case, if no such diploma or course is offered, the MCI is to consider introducing such a course. Also, if any expertise is needed, the MCI can also get expertise from foreign countries by inviting experts from foreign countries for giving training to Indian students or physiotherapists. The Central government and the MCI have to come out with their response with regard to the above on the next date of hearing.

The judge said, “Trigger Point Therapy, which has worked wonders on the child, who was in a PVS, is said to be part of the syllabus prescribed for Physiotherapy course. If most of the physiotherapists are unable to make use of the said therapy for betterment of patients, it can only be said that either they are unaware of the said therapy or they lack specialisation in the same”.

In this regard, Kavitha Raameshuwar, counsel for the petitioner, has filed an additional affidavit stating that like petitioner’s son, there are more than 14,000 children suffering from brain damage in Tiruchy district alone, which information was received by her from the association of parents of affected child in Tiruchy. Therefore, she submitted that if a survey was conducted, it would help to know the exact number of children affected with brain injury, who need health care like that of the petitioner’s son. 

No such survey has been conducted so far and therefore, a survey has to be conducted by the state government as well as by the central government throughout India, to know the exact number of children with brain damage so that appropriate financial and medical aid could be given to those children. The counsel also requested the court to consider giving directives in this regard to the state and central governments, the judge added.

The judge said it was also brought to the notice of this court that after reading the newspaper reports, many parents of similarly placed children were approaching the Anirudha Medical Organisation Private Limited (where the boy is undergoing treatment) for providing treatment to their children. But, most of them were living below poverty line and they were unable to spend for the treatment. The pressure was so much the hospital was unable to give treatment for all the patients, free of cost. When the hospital was able to show that the treatment given by them has proved to be a magical one for brain damaged children, their services could be utilised in a proper manner by the Central government as well as the State government including by way of sponsorship so that their activities could be expanded and more children could be benefited, the judge added.

The judge also warned of summoning the Union and State health secretaries, if they failed to respond by November 29 to the suggestions and queries raised by the court earlier as well as today (November 8).