Subarnapur: In a heartbreaking incident that underscores the challenges of rural poverty, a woman in Subarnapur district was forced to mortgage her ration card to cover the medical expenses of her injured minor son. According to reports, Krishna Nayak, a Class VIII student at Sindurpur Nodal High School, was participating in a district-level running competition held at Icchapur School in Dunguripali block.
During the event, he missed a step, fell, and fractured his arm. Teachers at the venue rushed the boy to the nearest hospital in Dunguripali for immediate treatment. When his condition did not improve, doctors referred him to the district headquarters hospital for further treatment.
Facing an urgent need for funds, Krishna’s mother, Padmini Nayak, approached a local moneylender. With no significant assets to offer as collateral, she was forced to pawn her ration card in exchange for Rs 4,500 to pay for her son’s treatment.
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The incident drew widespread attention, prompting swift action from the district administration. District Collector Nruparaj Sahu visited the hospital and assured Padmini that the administration would cover all the medical expenses for her son’s surgery.
Meanwhile, District Physical Education Officer Jyotikant Bhoi was suspended pending further inquiry into the circumstances that led to the incident. Additional District Medical Officer (ADMO) Durgadutta Das later informed reporters that Krishna is now out of danger and receiving the best possible care.
Efforts are underway to ensure his full recovery and early discharge from the hospital, the ADMO added. With irregular incomes and limited access to formal credit, poor families in rural parts of the state are often forced to resort to such desperate measures in case of exigencies.
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