By Alex Guite
LAMKA, June 13: The only refuge of a 13 year old boy in Lamka, Churachandpur has been his wooden cart wheel for the past 10 years.
Pauginmung cannot move or turn and any shifting of his body causes him insufferable pain and makes him hard to breathe.
According to his mother Chingkhovung, her fifth child, born on July 3, 1999 was fine till about 3 years of age and used to walk and play with his six other siblings.
One day he came limping, she said.
His father Ginzamuan took him to the district hospital where the doctors said they would have to operate on him as there were problems with his nerve and joint of his neck, she said.
The family used to live at a village called Kangkap, till the boy was about four years, after which they shifted to the town.
However, they needed Rs one lakh for the operation in 2003, she said while adding that they never find any reason to consult the doctor even once due to the huge sum.
She said the family once took him to a school for the disabled in town, but since he could not even sit or move, he was denied admission. And then a local politician had also once promised to help during his campaign but that was the last thing they have heard from him, she continued.
Considering the financial condition of the family, this correspondent and some media friends and later with the help of the Army’ Khuga Battalion CO visited the boy.
The CO has also proposed to facilitate help in his maximum capacity.
The team of the Army CO and the local media group CCpur Reporters Association were move by the plight of the boy who can speak but not move.
With the suggestion of the Army CO and the local media, the team further decided to open a bank account for a helpline of the boy so that he could grow up in a dignified and decent manner.
Later, the Company CO sent their doctor and the boy was administered temporary remedial medicines.
The doctor observed that the boy needs to be thoroughly checked before doing anything else.
He further said that the boy could be suffering from “Quadriplegia” which is related with weakness in limbs could not confirm without proper investigation by a neurologist.
The problem has only been aggravated as the boy’s illiterate parents have failed to preserve the prescription of the doctor who first checked the boy.
Churachandpur District Hospital medical superintendent, Shyamsunder Singh has also offered some help.
The district administration has also offered to help from its available capacity/ resource with the Khuga battalion, station at Khuga Dam of CCpur District proposing to give a wheel chair for the boy to start with.
The army Red Shield Division Khuga Battalion are also setting up donation box at the station for everyone to contribute for the cause.
The bank account of the boy is SBI A/C no 33895313486 of Ccpur main Branch in the name of Pauginmung and his Chingkhovung branch code is 6182. UFSC-SBI N0006182. CUF NO. 87447674169.