Diabetic Patient of Koraput

Sahadev Bhatra , a 22 year old youth from Girla, a tribal village in Kotpad block of Koraput district is severely malnourished . With legs resembling pieces of thin stick , skin being the only attachment to the chest bones , he looks no different from some one who had been facing a severe famine of Somalia . He is suffering from Juvenile Diabetics , doctors in the district head quarter hospital said .

While there was no respite for Sahadev , the reasons for this condition could not be left untouched . He was a student in the local residential school studying in Class VI a few years back , Gangadhar Bhatra , his father said . But after receiving continuous complains of illness and gradually losing interest for taking any food , Gangadhar was forced to withdraw him from the school . With very little option and lack of easier access to health benefits at the grassroots , Sahadev was taken to traditional healers and quacks for treatment , Gangadhar added.

But failing to get any relief there , he was then taken to the Mission Hospital at Nowrangpur where he was asked to give treatment for diabetics . Since then he had to purchase insulin vials by purchasing it at Rs180/- each from the market . He was supposed to take the medicine regularly . But having worked as daily labouirer , there was no other way for Gangadhar than to leave the condition to the almighty whenever he had no funds to purchase them from the market .

All the social security systems had failed to deliver in providing support to him in his need . The shrinking body of Sahadev was causing worry for the parents . He had almost lost his appetite and rarely was taking any food . With situation getting worse Sahdev is now been brought to the district head quarter hospital with a hope that things would be better for the patient . But with no support from the administration , neither from the Red Cross funds nor any other sources , he was still starving even after four days of joining in the hospital , Gangadhar said . The hospital was giving bread and milk and Sahadev was least interested to even touch them , he added.

Further his three year old second son, Tularam was also probably suffering from similar illness . But he had no knowledge on how to confirm or where to go for a test . The entire family was in the hospital attending the two sons and there was no other way to get the daily requirements . The money which was brought along was losing its strength and with no provision been made for them to get food , three more persons would begin to starve soon . “ Sahadev is starving for losing interest on food and we will starve for the lack of social support “ , Gangadhar cried .