Doctor saheb 1 mahine se saas phool rahi hain….” A middle-aged voice caught my attention on a busy OPD day consisting of mainly patients with nonspecific symptoms..till then not quite a happening day..I turned around to find a village-woman dressed in a typical malwa attire,slender built,pointed chin.. ugly features…”Bacchi bahut bimar hain”…I turned around to find a small girl standing right beside her.. small than her age, looking obvious sick…
I asked her the history,the usual stuff examination & all …. Cardiovascular exam. Positive for a Mid-diastolic murmur.& signs of congestive Heart failure.. “Rheumatic Heart Disease.” I muttered to myself….The girl was not very communicative..Mother was doing the talking on her behalf..I said ”Isko to Bharti hona padega.” i.e she needs an admission & further evaluation.. The lady’s face saddened .she said she had come 3 days back & were also advised the same for admission.I scolded her then why did’nt she got admitted on that day……She said that “kya kare Doctorsaheb, bharti hone ke liye paise nahi the..Jugadkar aaj aaye hu.” Considering that admission to the wards cost around Rs.25 admission fees & nominal 10-20 Rs. Per day for food etc. she took around 3 days to arrange for them, I at once got a overview of her financial status….. I enquired abt her family..The lady had 6 offsprings & sona was youngest among them ..2 of her sons left home & were lost. Her husband died 3 years back…so It was a Hand-to-mouth state of her family…….. 2 of her boys work as a Labourer & ran the family.
“Severe Mitral Stenosis Mitral valve area 0.5 cm .square,severe Pulmonary Hypertension ( PA pressure 100 mmHg),severe TR, minimal MR.” Ah! Our Professor of Cardiology exclaimed….. I bet she is going to require a Balloon Mitral Valvotomy….. ….. Dr.kundan where are you lost in thoughts??? I suddenly jolted from my thoughts…. Plz. Take down the ECHO report of the girl..I relpied “yes sir…..”
Mind kept of thinking abt the girl…How can god be so cruel to a 14 yr old child….?? Severe MS Rhematic heart Disease… the valve of her heart is abnormally narrowed i.e stenosed ,Hampering the Blood supply to her heart…
Where was I as a 14 year old… Happy in my home getting the best of facilities ,enjoying the best of my health……..
Somehow the innocence on the girls face was disturbing…. How am I going to explain to the girl’s mother abt her condition..How am I to face her on my daily rounds?? Where on earth would she bring the 50,000 for her operation???
There are schemes runned by gov.t for the poor …Below poverty line Card Holders.. so that they can get operated / treated..Luckily we could manage to obtain a yellow below poverty card from sona’s home.. But as with any other Gov.t schemes there is a significant delay/Paperwork involved..2-3 mths ..I guessed ..
Till then will sona stay in the Hospital?? Will her mother have such patience… well considering the Fate of a girl child in India, I won’t be surprised if her mother accepts her daughter’s Disease as part of the family’s Misfortune & leave her to fate… take her home without waiting for the govt. help…..We know of SO many SOna’s being lost this way…………………………….
Well for now everyday I feel relieved to find Sona on Bed no. 16 in our female medicine ward 29.. But who knows this Hope may be short-lived…………………………………………………………………..
