Jharigaon For the past one and a half years, Mangal Dei, a woman suffering from oral cancer, has been struggling for her life. After seeking treatment at Cuttack, Raipur, Koraput Medical College, and the District Headquarters Hospital, she has now been bedridden at home for the last two months, having lost hope of survival.
Mangal Dei is the wife of Jagannath Shanta from Bar Bakuli village under Pupu Gram Panchayat in Jharigaon Block. Her family has exhausted all their financial resources for her treatment and is now helpless. For nearly a month, Mangal Dei has not been able to eat or drink anything, not even a drop of water. She remains confined to her bed, motionless, in a semi-conscious state, writhing in pain.
According to doctors, her body weight is rapidly declining, and without an operation, survival is unlikely. However, due to her severe condition, surgery is currently not possible. Her husband says her health is deteriorating day by day. The cancer has now spread from her mouth to her throat and inner tissues.
Doctors have advised that for surgery to be possible, her weight must increase and a tissue donor must be found — both of which are currently very difficult. Her family members say that finding a suitable donor is challenging.
Mangal Dei’s family consists of seven members — three daughters, one son, a daughter-in-law, her husband, and herself. They live in extreme poverty. The family owns only two acres of farmland, from which they sustain themselves with great difficulty.
To meet daily needs, they rely on daily wage labor. Since Mangal Dei fell ill, the family has been under immense emotional and financial stress. Although they possess a health insurance card, they say that while five members receive ration rice through their ration card, the daughters and daughter-in-law have been excluded. The family has also not received any government housing assistance and lives in a house built with their own limited resources.
Now, on top of worrying about daily food, they are also under pressure to arrange for her medical treatment, which they are currently unable to afford. If any government assistance could be provided, the family hopes Mangal Dei could be treated and saved.