UMERKOTE: Unaware of government health scheme benefits, family members of a mentally challenged youth in Nabarangpur’s Jharigaon block have chained him to restrain him from going out. For the family, his treatment too is out of their bounds.
Dino Bhatra, 23, who belongs to remote Dumarpadar village, has been chained for over four months now. A daily wager, Dino seemed normal until the age of 18. He got married in 2017. But two years into his marriage, his mental health started deteriorating with signs of hallucination and aggressive behaviour.
Villagers said, he often wandered outside during nights, climbed electric poles and even started attacking people on the streets. As his symptoms aggravated, Dino’s wife deserted him last year. His parents and two siblings tried to cure him through natural healing remedies suggested by local quacks but nothing worked. Finding no other way, family members chained him as his aggression and uncontrolled behaviour grew.
Now, as Dino is no longer able to fend for his family, his father Bansingh (57), also a daily wager, is the sole bread winner and finding it difficult to make ends meet. Worse, the family is not enrolled in any government health scheme like Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana.
Cases like these raise question on access of less privileged to government schemes in remote areas and how genuine beneficiaries remain deprived. Medicine specialist at Umerkote CHC, Dr Sumanta Roul said Dino is suffering from schizophrenia and would require specialised treatment.
The family has now pinned hopes on the district administration appealing for help to treat Dino. Contacted, block social security officer (BSSO) Parthojit Mondal said, adequate steps were initiated last week for rehabilitation of Dino. “We are processing his documents of identity proof for treatment and pension,” he added.