CHENNAI: A 110-year-old woman in Tamil Nadu's Tirupathur district beat coronavirus to become the oldest survivor in India, but her family continues to face discrimination and stigma.
Hamidhabi, a resident of Periavarikkam, Ambur, was down with fever and cold two weeks ago. Her daughter Mubarak and granddaughter Sama informed local Health department authorities and subsequent tests confirmed COVID-19 infection.
“The elderly woman was admitted to the GH in Ambur on July 1 after she tested positive for COVID-19. She was under observation at the quarantine treatment facility and responded well,” D Premkumar, Health Inspector, told The New Indian Express on Tuesday.
Health department officials stated that she could be 110-year-old but her family claimed that she is 130 years old. After recovering from the infection, the elderly woman was discharged from the hospital on July 12.
Although she fought successfully against the pandemic, she had to face discrimination and stigma as soon as returned home.
“After the local Revenue department officer warned the neighbours against discrimination, they kept quiet for a few days, but have again started to yell at us. They want us to vacate the house,” Hamidhabi’s granddaughter Sama said.
The family has been struggling to make both ends meet as Sama, the lone breadwinner, couldn’t go for work ever since the lockdown came into being.
“I had been working at a local shoe company. I lost the job after the lockdown began,” she said.
Ambur MLA AC Vilwanathan (VILWANATHAN) helped the family with Rs. 5,000, a bag of rice along with groceries and vegetables on Tuesday after coming to know of the plight of the family.
The elderly woman had 13 children and 12 of them died at a very young age; 58-year-old Mubarak is the only surviving daughter.