Udupi: The Udupi District Human Rights Council has come to the aid of a 74-year-old woman suffering from chronic filaria, who was living in an isolated area and could not afford medical treatment.
The woman named Agnes D’Souza (74) a resident of Gurmeru in Inna village was all alone without any care. However, the St Theresa and Child Jesus Church of Santoor-Mukamar – Fr Victor G D’Souza knew about her plight and wrote to the Udupi District Human Rights Council.
Acting on the plea, on Monday July 7 she was admitted to the government hospital at Ajjarkad here under Dr Chandrashekhara Adiga.
The district President of the Council, Udayakumar Shetty promised to make efforts towards entrusting Agnes to the care of an Ashram after her treatment.
Agnes D’Souza, contracted filariasis around 25 years and remained a spinster. She lived in a 50-cent government land near Gurmeru in Kajanadka after building a small house with help from locals and the church parish council.
During her younger days she took care of herself, however with the growing age the symptoms of the disease turned for the worse. Lately there has been a watery discharge from her leg.
When the locals and the church learnt about this, they admitted her to Wenlock Hospital in Mangalore, but the doctors there told her that the disease cannot be cured. They also advised her to change her bandage everyday, which was a difficult thing for her monetarily as well as effort wise. Although with the help of some locals, her bandages were replaced every day.
Later, the priest of the church, Victor D’Souza, made a plea to the District Human Rights Council which was supportive and instantly delivered help.
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, when Agnes was shifted to the hospital.
