In a house locked away in the floods, surrounded by floodwaters, I found Abhijot, an eight-year-old child with nephrotic syndrome. While his siblings played in the sand, oblivious of what lay around them, Abhijot was different. He was aware. His condition would never let him forget. Carrying both the literal and metaphorical weight of his disease, Abhijot clenched onto his mother as others went about their lives.
Punjab experienced the worst floods this year since 1988. As many as 24 areas had villages that were completely inundated. Among those areas was Amritsar's Ajnala, where in a village called Talwindi Rai Dadu, Abhijot resided with his family.
An amateur on the ground, I entered Punjab, unaware of what lay on the land. Upon my arrival, I found many NGOs working tirelessly to serve people affected by the disaster. In my time at Ajnala, I met Khalsa Aid volunteers who visited Abhijot's house as part of their donation drives. During what would be regular donation drive to a house impacted by floods, I found the most surreal family.
Suffering from nephrotic syndrome for the past three years, Abhijot had problems carrying out basic functions. From eating to drinking and going to the washroom, Abhijot's condition kept him in pain all throughout. His family had been taking him to PGI Hospital, Chandigarh, because all hospitals in Amritsar had declared his condition as beyond their reach. Given the distance between Amritsar and Chandigarh, the weight of distance and the lightness of the pocket eventually led the family to stop the treatment. Untreated for almost eight months, Abhijot's condition deteriorated.
Upon seeing his condition, NDTV ran a campaign called ‘Save Abhijot'. We mobilised all resources to ensure that Abhijot gets another shot at life. From the Punjab Chief Minister to Actor Sonu Sood to Khalsa Aid and Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sawhney's Sun Foundation, people lined up to shower their love for the little boy. And he did get a second life.
Little did we know that his second life would be so short-lived. Owing to their promise, the Punjab government funded all of Abhijot's treatment. Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh and Actor Sonu Sood went down to meet him. Abhijot was making progress. His swelling was going down. Yet, something wasn't right. From Amritsar's Bebe Nanaki Hospital, he was shifted to PGI Hospital, where his treatment had originally begun. Doctors ran tests and switched treatments. While undergoing one of the treatments, Abhijot had a sudden cardiac arrest and passed away.
At the tender age of eight, a young life was lost. A child who could've played in sand with the rest of the siblings was now to be laid to rest. I clearly remember being in utter disbelief when I first got the call. From education to life beyond his teenage years, we had thought it all. His family lay numb on the other line as I bombarded them with questions, hoping, praying to hear a different answer. Abhijot's untimely demise leaves more than just a void in one's heart. It raises questions about inequality and inadequate access to healthcare. It raises an alarm about healthcare in rural areas and medical literacy amongst the population. Home to the largest youth population in the world, it is India's responsibility to give our Abhijots the life they deserve. For every Abhijot in every village deserves to play in the sand like his siblings without having to carry the weight of the world. Unafraid, unbothered, healthy, happy.
To the little child in that village in a small town in Punjab, we hope you find the love and peace you always deserved. Rest easy, little one.
(The author is Junior Assistant Producer, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
