A 15-year- old boy fails to stand on his feet for last three years as he is suffering from muscle tissue-related disease. His poverty-stricken family members have been moving from pillar to post to get money for the boy’s treatment.
Santosh Pradhan , son of Saroj Pradhan of Badaolara village under Sanabada Gopalpur panchayat, is studying in class 9th at Nilakantheswar High School of Bhatapada. According to Saroj, Santosh was born like a normal child. “Till my son attained 12 years, he was fit and fine and properly walked. But slowly and steadily, he began to develop mobility problem so much so that within a sometime he failed to stand on his two legs.”
later, Santosh was taken to the nearby CHC for treatment .There the doctor told them that Santosh had muscle tissue related disease. “As a result, we sold out the land for the treatment of Santosh. With the money we shifted Santosh to the SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack and also in some other hospitals. The doctors diagonised the ailment as myopathy ( a disease related to muscle tissue),” stated Swarnalata Pradhan, Santosh’s mother.
She added, “Due to paucity of funds, we have failed to treat our son. We left providing treatment to Santosh half way after our money exhausted.”
“To complete the routine works starting from bathing to wearing clothes and feeding, I have to depend on my family members. Though I want to go to school, but due to inability to walk, I am studying at home only,” said ill-fated Santosh, who has got disability certificate from the District Medical Board of Kendrapada in 2012. Meanwhile, Saroj and his wife Swarnalata are worried as to how to provide treatment to Santosh. Saroj is a daily wager.
“I want to study. But as ill luck would have it, I cannot go to school on my own due to inability to walk. I need treatment. But my parents cannot afford it. I wish, the State Government could help me by arranging for free treatment,” Santosh said.