The parents of ailing lady Ayush doctor Pranati Barik (43), who is suffering from serious cardiac ailment, on Friday urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik again to ensure urgent advanced medical care to save her life.
“Pranati was treated at a Bangalore hospital and a cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) was implanted in her in last December. However, the ICD stopped working after six months. We have already spent more than Rs25 lakh for her treatment. Now, leading Government and private hospitals in the State have suggested either to go for a costly operation or heart transplantation in a superspecialty hospital to save her life,” Pranati’s father Bauribandhu Barik told mediapersons here.
The doctor’s mother Manjushree Barik said that after spending Rs25 lakh her family is not in a condition to spend more. “We are now helpless. My daughter, who has served more than five years in remote areas in Timanpur, in Nuapada district, is struggling for life. Despite our requests to Government, including the Chief Minister, nothing tangible has happened as yet,” lamented she.
Pranati is now posted at the Chhaitana PHC under Gop block of Puri district with a monthly salary of Rs12,000. Rights activist Akhanda also requested the Chief Minister to intervene in the matter and send the ailing doctor to a superspecialty hospital outside the State for treatment.
Earlier on Monday, acting on a petition of Akhanda, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a report from the Health and Family Welfare Secretary and Puri Collector to furnish information on the medical condition of Pranati along with treatment provided to her within four weeks.