Cancer patient from Adivasi Unnathi carried on head for 300 meters due to lack of path; plight despite allocation of 1.5 crore rupees

KOZHIKODE/BALUSSERY: People carried the patient for about 300 meters on their heads to take him to the hospital. Cancer patient Viswanathan (54) was carried to the road by the locals and relatives on their heads from the Kalloot Kunnu Ambedkar Settlement Adivasi Unnathi in Balussery Kottur.

It was very difficult to get Viswanathan down the Kalloot hill and into the ambulance due to the heavy rain. Viswanathan, who was taken to Kozhikode Medical College, is currently undergoing treatment. The incident took place at 11.30 am on August 13. There was no easy way to take Viswanathan, who felt unwell at home, to the hospital. That's when relatives and locals carried him on their heads to the road.

There are 16 families here. The locals say that the patients do not get timely treatment in the area. There is not even a primary care centre. This is a misery that has been experienced for a long time. The government had allocated one and a half crore rupees for the development of Unnati, but the locals said that it is all on paper. Even the walking paths are covered with rocks, stones and mud. The locals say that the allocated amount should be spent as soon as possible, or else they will have to launch an agitation.