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Sitting in wheelchairs, children suffering from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) on Friday staged a dharna at the Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar.
A lot of commuters passing through the Lower PMG were seen halting at a place where children suffering from DMD disease for some time. The sight of children in wheelchairs staging dharna would definitely have melted their hearts.
Raising their issues, the Odisha Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Association demanded that the government bear the treatment cost of these children as it is very high. The association also urged the government to insure them and provide compensation to them.
Also Read: Sambalpur boy suffering from DMD gets Rs 10 lakh from CM Relief Fund
“My son is suffering from a rare disease known as DMD. We request the government to bear the treatment cost of such children so that they can live a normal life. They can go to school and play like others. Now, they are living a confined life, leading to depression,” said a woman.
Expressing her plight, another woman said, “I have two children. The younger one is a DMD patient. Even though medicines for this disease are available in the market, we are not in a position to buy them due to their high cost. We request the government to provide medicines to them.”
The symptoms of the disease generally surface at the age of five. While walking, they suddenly fall down. They can’t stand on their own. When they are made to stand, they walk a few steps before collapsing on the ground again. They can’t say why they are not able to walk. The subsequent tests reveal they have been affected by DMD disease. In this disease, the muscles get stiff, affecting the ability to move, walk, and perform daily activities.
- Reported by:
- NIRANJAN REDDY
