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All efforts to save Minu fail

CUTTACK: Fighting against poverty and a deadly disease, the five-year-old Minu Mishra who had an unusual growth of a tumour in her abdomen breathed her last at Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Research Institute here on Thursday. Battling for life, the little girl succumbed despite a fortnight-long valiant effort by doctors to save the infant.

“She came here in a very critical condition. We call it last stage of the disease. Although, we made whatever was possible on our part like giving her protein and beginning the chemotherapy, the girl could not be saved,” said Diptirani Samanta of the institute who was treating Minu.

Doctors, however, were of the opinion that had the treatment started during the early days of the disease, the precious life could have been saved. But acute poverty and the illiterate relatives of the girl belonging to Nimapara area of Puri district admitted the girl to the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar for treatment only on July 20.

After staying in the Bhubaneswar hospital for four days, she was shifted to the Cuttack hospital only on July 25 following a sanction of Rs. 7000 towards her treatment from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Even some school students came forward to help the little girl by donating their pocket money. More help also poured in from several quarters after media highlighted the plight of the girl last month.

But it was too little and too late for the purpose, said the hospital employees here who ensured that the little girl’s stay in the hospital was comfortable and the treatment continues unhindered. “Money was never a problem ever she came to Cuttack but what the little girl lacking were a bit of luck and time,” said the hospital staff.

Daughter of a poor daily wage earner, Minu had been carrying the tumour weighing nearly 20 kg for last few years.

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