Since last two years, Rabi Ray, the first and so far only lok Sabha Speaker from Odisha, has been suffering from dementia and is unable even to recognise his near and dear ones.
The veteran socialist politician is struggling with impairment in cognitive function since couple of years after being diagnosed with dementia due to which he recollects past events only faintly when repeated again and again.
City Hospital doctor Dhananjay Ram visits him twice a week for routine checkup at his Kalyani Nagar residence here.
His family members are spending over Rs 20,000 a month towards his treatment. Though he is getting several medicines under Central Government’s health schemes, the drugs are not enough to contain the disease. Money has become an obstacle for his treatment.
The veteran politician is surviving on a monthly pension which is insufficient to meet the requirements. Besides, the family members find it difficult to pay four men employed to nurse him.
After coming to know about the failing health condition of Ray, senior BJP leader Biswabhusan Harichandan had requested the district Collector to provide health facilities to him. Following this, a doctor was assigned for routine checkup. He was considered close to former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik. However, the latter’s son and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik hasn’t paid a visit to his father’s contemporary even once during his term in the last 15 years. Born on 26 November 1926 in Bhanagarh village in Puri district, Ray joined national politics due to the inspirational leadership of Dr Rammanohar lohia.
On 19 December 1989, he was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the lok Sabha as the first leader from Odisha to occupy the exalted post.