In Bengaluru, an oncologist has invented a device for the people who lose their voice due to throat cancer. The best thing about the device is that it can be bought at a price of Rs 50 that weighs about 25 grams.
Doctor Vishal Rao, who is one of the leading oncologists in Bangalore claims that the device is affordable by all classes of the society and is effective, reports The Times of India.
“Speaking is a right. When the voice box of patients is removed during surgery , they crave to speak. As if the trauma of the disease is not enough, the shock of having lost their voice takes a toll on them, emotionally . The prosthesis availa ble in the market costs Rs 20,000 (to be changed once in six months) and is not viable for many poor pa tients. My objective was to design something that is affordable and can give them their voice back,” said Dr Vishal Rao to TOI.
The device has been named as ‘Aum’ which is said to be the premedieval word first resonated in the universe.
A 55-year-old man, Ramakrishna from Bengaluru was the first one to have successfully used the device. Financial constraints could not allow him to afford a western voice prosthesis for too long so finally he came to Dr Rao to find a permanent solution.
Dr Rao is planning to reach out to all the regional cancer centres where most of the poor patients go for their treatment. He has filed patents for this device and also received scientific and ethical approval to start using this prosthesis on our patients and conduct a study.