Four of a family contract hepatitis B

LAMAHI, Feb 21: Just a few days after three persons in a family committed suicide due to inability to finance treatment of an epileptic daughter, four persons of a single family have come forward with an appeal for help for treatment of hepatitis B.



Arjun Pun, 30, of Sisahaniya-7, Deukhuri, his spouse Sunmati, 31, and daughters Mina, 13 and Ima, 10, have contracted the liver disease and are facing difficulty in treatment. The Puns, who also have 12-year-old twin daughters and eight-year-old son, organized a press conference in Lamahi Sunday appealing for help. [break]



They said the uninfected three children currently live in the ground floor while others live upstairs on doctor´s advice. They also have separate kitchens to ensure that the disease is not transmitted to the trio.



Arjun said he was the first to be diagnosed after catching jaundice last June and doctors confirmed the infection in his wife a month later when she also showed similar symptoms. “The doctors then suggested checkup of whole family and the two daughters also showed hepatitis B,” Arjun added.



He said he has sold everything except the house for their treatment and has even borrowed some money. “The doctors now say that we have to go either to Kathmandu or Lucknow for treatment but we don´t have any money,” Arjun rued. “We will not have enough money for treatment of four even if we sell the house,” he added.



Chief of District Public Health Office Keshav Raj Pandit said he would recommend to Health Ministry for a grant of Rs 50,000 for their treatment considering their financial condition.



Sisahaniya VDC office and Youth Club for Good Governance have opened a bank account in Karnali Development Bank to generate funds for their treatment. Willing donors can deposit money in account number 01S1219.

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