Nuapada: An incident of a woman getting her three-month old son treated in VIMSAR, Burla, with the money she arranged after signing an agreement to work as a domestic help has become the talk of the town here.
The incident was reported from Khariarroad town, just 10 km from the district headquarters. The incident has assumed significance not because of the hardship a mother had to undergo to get her son treated, but because of the government’s much hyped Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) not coming to her aid.
As per the information, Nandini Sahoo, a resident of Ward No 18 in Khariarroad town, delivered a son three months ago. Some days later, he was diagnosed with a tumor in his stomach. Nandini immediately got her son admitted at the district headquarters hospital November 25, but her misery doubled when the doctors suggested her to take her baby son to VIMSAR in Burla. Her family’s poor financial predicament posed as major hindrance in availing treatment for her son.
When she consulted with the CDMO, he informed her about Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana saying that she need not worry as the government will bear all treatment cost.
Nandini took her son back home. Meanwhile, none came to her help and she decided to serve as a domestic help to save her son at any cost.
She had to run from pillar to post to arrange the treatment cost, but failed. As time was running short and fearing it would be too late for the treatment if she goes on saving money, she had the last way out. Without giving a second thought, she entered into an agreement to work as a domestic help. In this way, she arranged the money and took her son to Burla and got him admitted to VIMSAR December 11. Thankfully, the tumour was operated successfully, but she had to bear the entire treatment cost of about Rs 50,000.
Friday, her son was discharged and she returned to her village on the same day.
Upon returning home, she found she ws left with no saving. Besides, her this three-month-old sick son, she has a 15-year-old mentally-challenged son Rup Singh Sahoo and a three-year-old daughter.
After solving the problem of treating her son, she is now faced with the problem of feeding four.
She says any government help would go a long way in saving her family.
Alleging that the apathetic attitude of some officials is squarely responsible for the needy and beneficiaries not gettingthe benefits from the government schemes and yojanas, Adivasi Kalyan Sangha’s Nuapada block president urged the Collector to intervene into the matter.
PNN