再窮也有追求美的權利 印度窮人將可免費隆胸!

A south Indian state has become possibly the first in the world to offer publicly-funded breast implants, its health minister arguing, "Why should beauty treatment not be available to the poor?"

印度南部的一個邦或許是世界上首個提供公費隆胸福利的地方。這個邦的衞生部長表示，“為什麼窮人就不能接受美容服務呢？”

The Tamil Nadu state health department on Wednesday launched the free service at a clinic in the capital Chennai. "If we don't offer the procedure for free, they may opt for dangerous methods or take huge loans for it," said C Vijaya Baskar, the state health minister.

本週三泰米爾納德邦衞生部在首府金奈的一家診所推出了免費隆胸服務。衞生部長C·維加亞·巴斯卡説：“如果不提供免費隆胸，窮人可能會選擇危險的隆胸方式或者借高額貸款去隆胸。”

The clinic had already been providing breast reconstruction surgery for cancer patients, but was now extending the service for people who wished to alter the size of their breasts for other health or cosmetic reasons.

這家診所已經在為癌症病人提供免費乳房重建手術，現在又將這一服務擴展到出於其他健康或美容原因想改變乳房大小的人。

The head of plastic surgery at the clinic, Dr V Ramadevi, said some of her patients sought breast reduction to alleviate shoulder and back pain, while others sought to augment or shrink their breasts for a boost in confidence.

診所整容科主任V·拉馬德維醫生説，一些患者做縮胸手術，是為了緩解肩膀和背部疼痛，還有一些人是為了提升自信心而想隆胸或縮胸。

"There is a psychological benefit. Many girls who have larger breasts don't like to go out. There is no reason this surgery should be restricted from the poor."

“乳房手術對患者的心理有好處。許多大胸女孩都不愛出門。我們沒有理由限制窮人做這種手術。”

The procedure would also be available to men, she said.

她説，免費胸部手術也將對男士開放。

Cosmetic surgery has slowly grown in popularity as Indians have became wealthier, with about 420,000 procedures performed in 2016, compared to about 390,000 six years earlier.

隨着印度人變得富裕起來，整容手術也漸漸變得受歡迎。2016年印度實施了約42萬例整容手術，而在六年前，這個數字約為39萬。

According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, there were about 33,000 breast augmentation surgeries carried out in India in 2016, versus about 50,600 procedures in 2010.

根據國際整形美容外科學會的數據，2016年印度實施了約33000例胸部手術，而2010年實施的隆胸手術為50600例。

But among the men the figure has grown, according to the same group, with 25,640 seeking breast reduction in 2016, an 11,000 increase on 2010 figures.

但是該學會的數據顯示，印度男性胸部手術的數量卻在增長，2016年實施了25640例縮胸手術，相比2010年增加了11000例。

Among the procedures that have surged in popularity are controversial "limb-lengthening" surgeries intended to increase a patient's height.

另一種人氣飆升的整容手術是備受爭議的“肢體延長手術”，目的是給患者增高。

Apart from providing breast surgery, the Chennai clinic will also perform free cleft lip surgeries for children and hand transplants among other procedures.

除了提供免費的胸部手術，金奈的這家診所還為兒童提供免費的兔脣修復手術，並提供手部移植手術等整容手術。

Tamil Nadu's government is known for its largesse, particularly under former chief minister Jayalalithaa, who pioneered free food canteens and doled out wedding jewellery and venues to the poor.

泰米爾納德邦的政府一向以慷慨聞名，尤其是前任首席部長賈亞拉利塔雅曾率先開辦免費食堂，給窮人發放婚禮珠寶，提供婚禮場地。

A former public health director for the state, Dr S Elango, criticised this latest scheme. "It sounds populist, but it is not an ideal public health programme," he told the Times of India.

這個邦的前任公共衞生主任S·伊朗哥醫生批評了這個最新項目。他對《印度時報》説：“這聽上去很親民，但並不是理想的公共衞生項目。”

"State funds are required for emerging non-communicable diseases and communicable diseases. It is sad that we are now focusing on beauty instead of life-saving surgeries."

“邦內的資金要用於應對湧現出來的非傳染性和傳染性疾病。現在我們卻更關注美容手術而不是治病救人的手術，這很可悲。”