By Sameer Ahmad
Anantnag: Patients diagnosed of Hepatitis C are accusing government of failing to stand by its promise of providing free treatment.
It’s a cruel joke with us, they said.
“More than hundred people have been diagnosed of Hepatitis C in the district Anantnag and government had promised to provide free treatment however it was a hoax,” a patient told INS.
Abdul Rasheed Khanday a laborer of seer salia village said that his wife was diagnosed of this illness and he had to sell off his land and his wife’s jewellery to support her medication.
“Hospital authorities in the district say that they do not have any medicine for this disease so one has to purchase the medicines from open market,” Khanday said.
Another patient from walarhama pahalgam, wishing anonymity, said his wife and child have been diagnosed of Hepatitis C .
“It was only through borrowing money that I was able to support their medication but now this too is failing and i am facing a financial crunch. Imagine, how can a person afford Rs 7000 medicines per month on a meager income,” he said.
“There is no one to listen to. Humanity is dead,” he sighed.
Even though the Hepatitis C cases are on rise health department has taken no steps to stop the spread of the infection.
“They only say we will have a free medical checkup camp and this is the only thing they do,” relatives of the patients accused.
A doctor while talking to INS said that substantial steps to create awareness, monitoring and taking credible action are missing ‘from the health department’.
“Who is monitoring dental clinics in Kashmir? How many of these clinics have an effective sterilisation system?” a senior physician in Anantnag rued lackadascical approach of the government towards the spreading Hepatitis C in the district.
He alleged that in most areas, dental clinics operate without following the necessary hygiene protocols and authorities were sleeping over the issue.
INS had carried a series of stories in last year about Hepatitis C outbreak in walarhama, pahalgam and batengoo village in south kashmir Anantnag District.
Talking to INS Medical Superintendent Anantnag Hospital said that they have sent requisition to government for drugs and were hopeful to receive the same within one month.
“We have few cases in District Anantnag,” he claimed.
Contrarty to the claims of MS, last year in September, at least 150 persons had tested positive among those screened for hepatitis C in Walarhama Pahalgam village only.
Patients, however, say that they have reached a point were every promise of the officials only ‘adds to the long list of false promises’.
“Nothing changes, people will suffer and the officials even after several months will claim the same that they have proposed, and things will happen soon,” a family member of a patient said.
