After losing all hope, Sajjad finally landed at the door of a social activist, who is now trying to get him admitted to a private hospital under EWS quota
For Sajjad, a 52-year-old man from Bihar, who works at a tea-stall in the national capital, the last three months were nothing short of a nightmare when he was diagnosed with oral cancer and the first two government hospitals he visited refused to admit him citing unavailability of resources to treat his disease, causing more anxiety to the father of two.
"I have two children, both of whom are still school-going. I am the only earning member in the family and my health concerns me as I do not know where I will land with two hospitals already refusing to take me," said a teary-eyed Sajjad.
After losing all hope, Sajjad finally landed at the door of a social activist, who is now trying to get him admitted to a private hospital under EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) quota.
"Life becomes difficult for cancer patients, especially when hospitals refuse you treatment. Over 30 per cent of beds meant for EWS patients in private hospitals across the capital are vacant. Only one out of ten beds reserved in private hospitals are equipped to provide care to critical patients. As weaker sections struggle to find beds in government hospitals and are turned away all the time, the private beds still remain out of reach," said social activist and advocate Ashok Aggarwal.
The Supreme Court had ruled in July last year that the Delhi-based private hospitals that were given land at subsidized rates will have to provide free treatment to 25 per cent Out Patient Department (OPD) and 10 per cent Inpatient Department (IPD) patients belonging to the economically weaker sections (EWS).
The number of cancer cases in India is increasing every year. According to WHO's Cancer Report, in India, lung, oral, lip, throat and neck cancers are the most common among men while women suffer more from cervix, breast and ovarian cancers. In the elderly, the most commonly occurring cancers are kidney, intestine and prostate cancer.
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