Bedridden Kangra man struggles for treatment
Jai Ram, a 60-year-old resident of Laddoh village in Panchrukhi tehsil, Kangra, has been seeking medical treatment for the past six months but has found no help. Suffering from paralysis after a brain stroke, Jai Ram is unable to afford the necessary medical care.
His son, a daily wage worker, took him to Tanda Medical College, where doctors advised immediate surgeries costing over Rs 1 lakh. However, unable to secure such a large sum, Jai Ram had to return to his village without treatment.
A team from The Tribune visited Jai Ram in his modest home in Laddoh, located 15 km from the town. He said since the stroke, he had been bedridden with no movement in his arms and legs, making even basic tasks impossible. He said his monthly expenses for medicine exceed Rs 25,000.
Jai Ram recalled, before the closure of the HIM CARE scheme — a state government cashless health programme — he was able to access free medical treatment and medicines, making his life more manageable. However, since the programme ended, his condition has worsened.
Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hem Raj Bairwa has sanctioned Rs 10,000 for Jai Ram’s medical treatment. Local social activist Satish Sharma has also raised funds from the community. Additionally, the village panchayat has listed Jai Ram as below poverty line (BPL), enabling him to receive subsidised rations.
Despite the state government’s repeated claims of providing free medical treatment to the poor, the benefits of government schemes appear to remain on paper, with many in need still left without essential support.
