BHADRAK: A 40-year-old HIV positive man and his daughter, also affected by the virus, have been running from pillar to post to avail medicines and other benefits entitled to them.
Bikash (name changed) of Bhatapada panchayat in Chandbali block of Bhadrak district, who lost his wife to the dreaded disease nine months back, have stopped taking treatment for lack of money.
The father and daughter were diagnosed with the virus about five years back. “First my wife suffered from prolonged fever, cough and diarrhoea. I took her to SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack where she tested HIV positive. Later, I and my two children were examined. Fortunately, my 12-year-old son was found safe,” Bikash said.
Bikash earns livelihood by repairing bicycles. The meagre earning from the job is not enough even to sustain his family. At the same time, he has to arrange money for treatment of his daughter and himself. “I earn only `50 a day and it is difficult to manage my family. In such a situation, how can I meet the treatment cost,” he wondered.
Bikash used to work with a construction company in Chennai about 10 years back and after working there for two years, he left for West Bengal where he took up a similar work. Not sure, where he contracted the disease, Bikash said it might be while staying in Chennai.
Bikash claimed that though he is a BPL card holder, he is yet to get a house under IAY, Biju Pucca Ghara Yojana (BPGY) or Mo Kudia Yojana. Repeated requests for a house under any of the Government schemes have fallen on deaf ears, claimed Bikash.
Bikash and his daughter have not been paid the pension given to HIV patients and medicines from anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centre for the last five months. Though he has been appealing to the officials of the district administration for financial help, nothing has come forth.
Chandabali Block Development Officer Manoj Patra said he had not received any written grievance from anyone and was unaware of the plight of Bikash. He, however, assured of providing a house under the BPGY to the family.
“He is entitled to a house but I don’t know why he has not been provided one,” Patra said adding that he would write to the district administration to release the pension money.
