Everyone has good days and bad days but only few experience days that give them nightmares for the rest of their lives. Mukunda and his wife Akhila have had such a day not long ago when their 6-month-old baby boy started having seizures in the middle of the night and it took them hours to reach the hospital in the city from their village in Ananthpur district, Andhra Pradesh.
Mukunda is a small farmer who has hardly ever earned enough for his family. Everyday of his life has been a struggle and now his only son’s life is in danger. The little one is lying in the hospital bed, he needs urgent treatment. Akhila and Mukunda are spending each minute in the fear that they will hear some bad news.
“I was very scared that night. I thought I might lose my only baby. I cannot forget those horrible hours. It was less than a month ago. He had a continuous fever for a couple of days. We had taken him to the village doctor earlier that day and he had prescribed some general medicine. Suddenly at late night, he started shaking so badly. We rushed him immediately to the city hospital with the help of our neighbor as we didn’t have any vehicle.” – Akhila, mother
Baby Karthikeya is battling for his life with a severe infection in the brain diagnosed as Meningoencephalitis. He needs intensive care for another 4 weeks and the cost is expected to be around 6-8 lakhs. Mukunda doesn't even have the money to buy daily meals, it is impossible for him to afford this treatment.
“I do not know what to do. I don’t know anybody who can lend me so much money nor can I repay even if someone does. I can't even look at my son now. I come in only for a few minutes inside the room where he lies. I can’t bear to see him like this. My wife hardly speaks to anyone now, all she does is cry and pray for our son,” – Mukunda, father
Mukunda is a small farmer who has hardly ever earned enough for his family. Everyday of his life has been a struggle and now his only son’s life is in danger. The little one is lying in the hospital bed, he needs urgent treatment. Akhila and Mukunda are spending each minute in the fear that they will hear some bad news.