Help for family after suicide plea

The state government and a city hospital have promised to help a family of four thalassaemia patients who had sought the chief minister’s permission to end their lives, unable to bear the cost of treatment.

Saidur Rahman, a 40-year-old labourer from Samsabad village in Malda’s Bamongola block, wrote to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee last November. Saidur and his 32-year-old wife Marjina Bibi suffer from intermediate thalassaemia while their son Mustakin, 16, and daughter Mamoni Khatun, 11, have severe thalassaemia and need regular blood transfusion and medicine.

After receiving the letter, the chief minister had directed the Malda district administration to assist the family. On Thursday, Marjina and the children were admitted to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Cancer Research Institute, which pledged to bear the cost of their treatment along with the government.

“We are arranging for funds for the family’s treatment on the chief minister’s instructions,” said Sridhar Ghosh, the district magistrate of Malda.

“We have asked a voluntary blood donors’ association to supply blood to Saidur’s children,” said Anjan Ghosh, the block development officer of Bamongola.The institute director, Ashis Mukherjee, said the children would soon undergo surgery at the hospital.

“Their spleens would be removed, after which they would need blood transfusion once a year, instead of twice. They would be administered vaccines too,” he stated.

“The chief minister’s secretariat has promised funds for their treatment. The hospital’s Himadri Memorial Cancer Welfare Trust would also chip in,” added Mukherjee.

“I am feeling relieved now. At least I would not have to run from pillar to post to procure money for my children’s treatment,” said Saidur.

The couple found out they were thalassaemic after Mustakin was diagnosed with the deadly disease when he was five years old.

Mamoni was found to be suffering from the disease when she was three.

Saidur had sold his two-bigha plot five years ago to meet the cost of treatment, medicines and transportation.

According to Saidur, his monthly income is around Rs 1,000, less than a quarter of the treatment cost.

“By the time a child recovers, the other one falls ill. My wife too needs blood transfusion occasionally. I was tired and frustrated of securing funds and arranging for ambulances, which are hard to get in a village,” he said.


The Telegraph Metro