The Hindu : Kerala News : Tribal cuts off cancerous flesh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 17, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Tribal cuts off cancerous flesh

By Our Special Correspondent

KOZHIKODE, DEC. 16. A 52-year-old tribal has been admitted to the Medical College Hospital here after he tried to chop off a painful cancerous growth on his private parts.

Raghavan, the tribal living in Pozhuthana panchayat in Wayanad, was diagnosed with cancer about a few months ago and was advised surgery as the doctor found the cancerous growth would soon block his urinary passage.

Raghavan had left for home in Wayanad from the hospital after telling the doctor he would soon be back for the surgery. But he did not turn up for the operation reportedly because he did not have the money to reach Kozhikode.

Narayanankutty Warrier, a specialist in oncology-surgery who is in charge of the oncology unit of medical college hospital said: "His condition must have worsened in the absence of proper medical attention. He must have been intelligent enough to know the source of the excruciating pain and decided to cut it off himself."

It is reported by his villagers who brought him to the hospital yesterday that he did not have the money to go to hospital in Kozhikode, 65 km away, and that was why the tribal tried to remove the painful portion of the flesh at the tip of his private parts with a razor.

Raghavan's wound has become septic probably because the razor he was using repeatedly to remove the cancerous flesh from his penis was not properly disinfected.

It was after his condition became bad that the local people raised enough funds from their locality to take Raghavan over to Kozhikode and admit him again to the medical college hospital.

Dr. Narayanankutty Warrier said Raghavan's condition had improved and the pain had subsided after he was hospitalised yesterday.

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