BARIPADA: A poor couple of Baripada town has only one dream, to see their son lead a normal life. Their seven-year-old son Alok Sen has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy and needs immediate specialist care.Residents of Babusahi in Ward No. 5 at heart of Baripada town, Alok’s father Rabi said he has been running from pillar to post for the last three years to get their son cured and had done everything within his reach.
Rabi, who runs a small ‘paan’ shop in the local market, said the disorder began when Alok was an infant. Rabi said when they were returning from Rath Yatra in the town with six-month-old Alok, the child started vomiting and became weak. They immediately took him to District Headquarters Hospital. The child specialists of the DHH diagnosed water storage in his brain and referred him to Sishu Bhawan, Cuttack. At Sishu Bhawan, the doctors reportedly denied him admission citing that tests are done at SCB Medical, Cuttack, Rabi said.
Alok underwent treatment for meningitis at SCBMCH on July 23, 2010 and during the stay, fluids were extracted from his spinal cord for tests. He was discharged from SCBMCH on August 3 after primary treatment, the boy’s father said.
Back home, Alok’s condition started deteriorating. His spinal cord, legs and hands started bending and his diet reduced drastically. The boy could not sleep as his body ached severely, Rabi said.
Unable to see his son’s condition, Rabi borrowed some money from well-wishers and took him to Apollo Hospital at Bengaluru and later to Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS), Puttaparthi. The two medical institutions diagnosed Alok with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. The specialists there advised his parents to arrange more than `12 lakh for treatment. As the treatment cost was beyond their reach, the poor couple returned home.
In Baripada, they knocked the doors of Chief District Medical Officer, Sub-Collector, Collector and other higher officials but failed to get succour.Meanwhile, Rabi learnt about Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, a Central scheme for treatment of children from financially poor background. He hopes to get some help if the State Government intervenes.With Alok’s condition deteriorating by the day, his parents are praying for a miracle.
J ’khand boy gets a new lease of life at IGH
Rourkela: A critically ill minor boy of Jharkhand got a new lease of life at Ispat General Hospital (IGH) here. Sanjay Dang (10) of Simdega district in the neighbouring State was admitted to IGH on May 6 with high fever. Hailing from a poor family, he had been suffering from fever for eight days and was being treated by village quacks till he was brought to IGH. His parents rushed him to the hospital here in an unconscious state. On examination, he was detected with Encephalopathy, severe dehydration and abnormal rise in blood sodium levels leading to adverse impact on structure and function of brain and kidney. His chances of survival were thin. A team of senior doctors, including Dr P Mishra, Dr P Rath, Dr Maya Bose and Dr Smita Satpathy provided critical treatment. After successful treatment, the child was discharged on May 22. As his father, Christopher Dang, a labourer, could not meet the bills, on special consideration, the management waived off the treatment cost.