|
SOCIAL SERVICES -
In our fast changing world, inequalities and human suffering are not slowing down. Instead every leap forward and every innovation is highlighting the gap between the people on this earth. The fundamental questions remain the same despite the enormous progress we have made as human beings. How can we fight inequality? How do we ensure a stronger life for the weaker? How do we create a hopeful life for the desperate? The Human race has overcome so many challenges over the years that nothing seems impossible! However, I personally believe that we have not even achieved one tenth of what is possible when it comes to creating socially acceptable living condition for all. Alleviating current social burden to unfold the full potential of communities should be the guiding spirit of all of us as humans. Our approach is based on three main ideas, (1) Children needs to be the center of any program that aims to have a healthy society (2) Communities should have within themselves the resources to overcome social challenges (3) Research and Policy analysis have to be a complete part of any social program.
In India, one child in every 5,000 is said to suffer from anorectal malformation, a birth defect where the anus and rectum are not properly developed, making the expelling of waste very painful and difficult. At the same time, one infant in 100,000 is reported to be born with common cloaca, a rare and complicated form of anorectal malformation, where children are born without proper vagina, urethra and anus. Some experts describe this malformation as a "medical mess" but paediatric surgeons like Dr. Y.K. Sarin, Head of Paediatric Surgery, Maulana Azad Medical College, are confident of giving these children a new life, removing them from the clutches of agony and giving them hope to live a normal life. Surgeons take about six to 10 hours to reconstruct the vital organs of a child to enable them to pass urine and stool in a normal manner, otherwise done through a single channel that stresses the child.
I feel fortunate to be associated to a non - profit and non - governmental organization called “Caremycolostomy” whose basic task is to provide all kind of assistance to the young ones who are born with anorectal malformations right from surgery after birth to the post operative care.
At this stage I would like to add one incident where one can imagine the plight of these children in Indian society.
That on 29.7.2007, one of the national daily in India reported on its front page “SCHOOL THROWS OUT ‘SCARY CHILD’. On going through the detailed report, it came out to the knowledge that one boy named Vishesh aged about 4 years has made a subject of discrimination by the school authorities on the pretext that he is having catheter attached to his appendix to drain urine, and per the school authorities, the same is scaring other children. That it is further revealed that the boy is at present undergoing treatment in Mulana Azad Medical College under the supervision of Dr. Y.K. Sarin, head of Pediatric Surgery for a neurogenic bladder, which is an inability to pass a urine without using a catheter, came back home on Friday with the school managements request to his parents that they withdrew him back despite the fact that before the admission the parents explained his condition to the school authorities. That it is further made clear in the same report on behalf of the school authorities that they would not admit the child unless they receive in writing from the parents that they would not be held responsible in case some miss happening occurs with the child during the school hours as they being incapable to handle such a situation. It is further made clear to them either they should make arrangement of an attendant or they should personally come to pick him up after the school. That on the next day another report came in the newspaper that the parents have agreed to the school that in case of emergency they would rush to the school along with an attendant. That after reading this several questions come up to the mind of every member of this support group including me like; -
Is it fair enough to discriminate a child who is already discriminated by almighty himself from the rest of the children?
Would it be fair to treat such child abnormally in comparison to other children, who are being sent by their parents to schools to make them, civilized enough to understand the realities of life?
Isn’t the right to education or being treated at par or equality with other children meant for the children like Vishesh?
Doesn’t the school authorities bound to provide extra care and facilities to these children without charging anything for the same?
Isn’t fair for the school authorities to keep attendant on their own expanse being skilled enough to take care of such sick children at the school hours?
Isn’t this a moral and legal duty of the school authorities to provide at least basic knowledge to every teacher regarding ailment of these children so that they can be handled with perfect ease during school hours?
Does it fair to ask the parents to provide them the attendant all the time during the school hours more especially when the catheter is just a temporary arrangement in case of Vishesh?
Would it be fair on the part of the school authorities to refuse admissions of such children on the grounds that he or she is suffering from any malformation since birth?
Isn’t a moral or legal duty of all of us to provide a healthy environment to these children so that even they can become a part of our civilized society?
Why do these children remain aloof from the basic amenities of life and liberty which are being provided to every citizen of India by our scared constitution?
Why do the school authorities of the society at large hesitate in taking over the responsibilities of such children?
Does it a crime for the parents of such children to think that their son or daughter is no less then any other ordinary healthy child?
Is it fair enough to infuse thought in the mind of these young wards at such a tender age of their being different from the rest of the children?
Isn’t this discrimination come in the way of these children in their moral, spiritual or physical development?
Why don’t these children be given status of a physically challenged child including free travel with an attendant to the treating hospital?
It is pity that in India, the problems of these children do not end at the school level but even in the hospitals, where these children are being left over by their own parents as it’s easier for them to have second child rather then bearing a burden of the sick child through out their life. Not only this despite the instructions of the treating Doctors to the parents to come regularly in the hospital for the post operative care of the child, only 2 out of 10 comes back, which prima facie evident of the fact that either the child die or being left over to die by his or her own parent. Besides this the numbers of such patients are large enough in the hospitals to cope up by the present set of available pediatric surgeons in India.
It is further nerve wrecking that in India the care of these children are being left over to the hospitals, where even the basic amenities to treat these children are lacking, leave apart the facilities required by them.
It is therefore we all at “Caremycolostomy consider that it is now our bound down moral duty to do something for the boy and every other child suffering from such disorder in India, who are being victimized by non other then our own country men merely on the pretext that he or she is having some deformity since birth.
Share Pain of Little Vishesh Gupta
PIL in Hon'ble Delhi High Court
Shocking Condition of Pediatric Surgery in
India
www.caremycolostomy.org |
