Video Of Odisha Man Shouldering Sick Daughter To Hospital Goes Viral; Bolangir CDMO Orders Probe

A video showing a man, with his daughter sitting on his shoulders, and his wife walking along the road has gone viral. The poor couple was taking their ailing daughter to hospital for her treatment.

This heart-wrenching scene was unfolded on the street of Belapada area in Bolangir district early Monday morning, it was learnt.

It seemed that a couple was taking their daughter to a fair at first sight. But upon enquiry, what was revealed left the passersby shocked and peeved.

According to a source, Dhubal Chhatria is a resident of Nehenabanda village of Patnagarh area in Bolangir district. Dhubal was very happy when the couple was blessed with a daughter. Like any other parents, they too waved dreams surrounding their daughter. But they had then not known that the happiness wouldn’t last longer. As if the acute poverty was not enough, an unknown disease afflicted their daughter. All their dreams lay shattered.

For whom making both ends meet has been a humongous task, the question of how to get their daughter treated kept haunting for days together.

With no solace in sight, hopeless and helpless Dhubal took the decision to sell off all the belongings that they had to get back the lost smile on her daughter’s face. Since they can’t afford the price of a vehicle, they on Monday started off their journey to hospital on foot, with Dhubal carrying their 18 years old daughter on shoulders. It was some passersby who shot the video and made it viral.

Such an incident coming to the fore at a time when the State government is boasting of its Smart Health Cards of Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) left many asking: Such facilities are meant for whom?

Following a huge uproar over the incident, the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) has ordered a probe.