Cancer patients, their attendants living in temporary shelters outside Mumbai hospital

Tata Memorial Hospital. File pic

Cancer patients getting treatment at the Tata Memorial Hospital and their attendants are living on footpaths in temporary shelters outside the hospital.

People who live in these shelters are undergoing a lot of difficulties as they struggle to get a room in the hospital due to a lack of funds.

Jitendra, a patient from Gwalior said, "People give us food to eat, else I have to sleep without food. I have been here for eight months and have been living in this plastic shelter for two months. We do not have money. We keep tissues and sanitizers to keep us safe from Covid-19. I used to run a mill. Rs. 1.5 Lakhs have been spent on treatment so far."

"We've so far spent 2.5 lakhs on my husband's treatment. We're staying here for more than 4 months and face a lot of difficulties. We don't have money to afford a room in the hospital," said a cancer patient's attendant, Sumitra Sah from Katihar, Bihar.

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She added, "We face a lot of inconvenience due to rains, lack of food and money. The doctor has asked us to stay here for one and a half to two months more. Our son is with us too. We use bathrooms but we have to pay for it. There are thieves roaming around too."

Munni Devi, another attendant who has come with her husband from Bihar said, "We can not afford to give Rs 800-1000 per day for a room so that is why we are living in this shelter. My husband is a cancer patient. We got to know about his disease 15-20 days ago and we have been living here for 10 days. Everything is in the hands of God. We have borrowed money from our relatives for medicines."

Ranjit, a volunteer who distributes food to the patients and their attendants said, "From Monday to Friday, we give food to 70-80 people and on weekends to 100-120 people. Packaging is clean and hygienic. We have been doing this since the lockdown. We started with a team of 5 people and it is expanding. We try to help as much as possible."

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