6-year-old rape survivor unable to undergo fifth corrective surgery amid lockdown

A six-year-old rape survivor from Surat, who had undergone four corrective surgeries over the past two years, was supposed to travel to Ahmedabad for her fifth surgery at the city’s civil hospital but the lockdown has rendered her helpless.

Surat (Gujarat): A six-year-old rape survivor from Gujarat’s Surat, who has undergone multiple surgeries to heal the wounds and subsequent infections caused by the brutal assault in 2018, has been unable to undergo her fifth corrective surgery due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

The minor girl has undergone four operations over the past two years and was supposed to travel to Ahmedabad for her fifth surgery at the city’s civil hospital.

“Her wounds from the rape were severely infected when she was admitted to the hospital. We have performed three surgeries on her,” said Dr Dipti Patel, a senior gynaecologist from Surat who had treated the minor girl before she was referred to the civil hospital in Ahmedabad.

The little girl has had an ileostomy bag attached to her stomach which collects her stool and urine, after an infection in her colon, urinary tract and rectum.