Vikash Sharma

“Please take me to a doctor or kill me...” This desperate cry of a 9-year-old girl speaks volumes about the agonising pain she is suffering because of the wounds she suffered after she was bitten by a venomous cobra.

Manjula, a minor girl from Balijhor village under Raighar block of Nabarangpur district had been bitten by a cobra while she was playing near her residence a month back.

Manjula’s father Sunadhar took her for treatment at the Umerkote CHC, Nabarangpur and later to a hospital in Koraput. The doctors at the Koraput hospital advised the family to get the girl admitted to MKCG hospital in Berhampur for further treatment. However, funds have come in the way of the treatment of the poor girl.

Meanwhile, her condition has slipped from bad to worse. The massive damage caused to her body tissues due to the neurotoxin venom has resulted in the decay of one of Manjula’s hands.

Sahamani, Manjula’s desperate mother said, “We are poor. How can we take our daughter to Berhampur? We have no option but keep her at home and wait for the Almighty’s will.”

With no means to arrange funds for the little girl’s treatment, the hapless family has sought financial assistance from several quarters.

Devendra Prasad Kar, Raighar Block Development Officer (BDO) at Umerkote said, “We have discussed the matter with the District Collector and Medical Officer and appropriate assistance will be extended to for the girl’s treatment.

“ A team will be visiting the girl’s house to access her condition and appropriate action will be taken on the matter afterwards, he assured. Meanwhile, the little girl continue to live with the deadly wound while the family could do little but wait for the government largess for a turnaround of her fate.

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