Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Jul 8: A woman living alone in a house which is situated in a desolate location that is hard to access, has been suffering from chronic filaria. Udupi District Human Rights Council has come to the rescue of Agnes D'Souza (74) from near Gurmeru in Inna village, who had been suffering from this diesease, and had no one to care for.
Members of the council, in response to the plea of the priest of St Theresa and Child Jesus Church of Santoor-Mukamar, Fr Victor G D'Souza, visited the house of Agnes on Monday July 7, and got her admitted into the government hospital at Ajjarkad here, after summoning the services of 108 ambulance. Dr Chandrashekhara Adiga has begun her treatment there.
At the same time, district president of the council, Udayakumar Shetty, has promised to make efforts towards entrusting Agnes to the care of an Ashram so that her health condition can be continously monitored, and she can lead a happy life.
Agnes D'Souza, it is learnt, had contracted filaria about five decades ago. She remains a spinster, and about 25 years back, started living in a 50-cent government land near Gurmeru in Kajanadka after building a small house with help from locals and the church parish council.
About two weeks ago, the symptoms of the disease turned for the worse and watery discharge started oozing out of the filaria growth. With the support of locals and the church, she had been admitted into Wenlock Hospital, Mangalore. However, she was told there that the disease cannot be cured, and hence, her bandages have to be replaced everyday. For this, they wanted someone to stay by her side. As Agnes is alone and has no relative to care for, she had been brought back home. With the help of some locals, her bandages were replaced every day.
Priest of the said church, Victor D'Souza, taking pity at the plight of the aged woman, had drawn the attention of the district human rights council towards her predicament through a letter. A team deputed by the council came to Gurmeru on Monday. As the path leading to the house of Agnes is difficult to tread on account of steep and narrow hilly terrain, the team members had to work hard to carry her to the ambulance. Uday Kumar Shetty has promised to help Agnes to be accommodated under the care of an Ashram.
Office bearers of the council, Ratnakar Indrali, Mohammed Moula, Jayashree Krishnaraj, Laxmikant Beskur, Chandrika Shetty, Mahesh Shetty Paniyoor, Pavitra Shetty, Manoj Abbedi, Nitesh Shetty, Shekhar Shetty Inna, and others were present.