Helping hands that bring tears of joy

Anantapur: For seven-year-old Keertana, living translates to a never-ending battle with death. This is because she is suffering from thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder due to which the human body makes an abnormal form of haemoglobin -- the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen.

Thalassemia results in excessive destruction of red blood cells which in turn leads to anaemia. Anaemia is a condition marked by a deficiency of red blood cells or of haemoglobin in the blood, resulting in pallor and weariness. This means that every 10 days red blood cells must be injected to keep Keertana’s life going.

Moved by the plight of the frail girl, 'Sanjeevini Helping Hands', led by Ramana and ably supported by his 25-strong volunteers, have taken the responsibility to keep the lamp of her life burning by supplying the required blood every 10 days. For her parents, the light of her life is 'Sanjeevini' which transmits blood into her otherwise wasting body.

They consider the band of Sanjeevini volunteers as Saviours totally committed to keep the light burning. For the Sanjeevini band, however, keeping the likes of Keertana alive is just one of the numerous tasks they have willingly assumed to bring solace to a section of society groping in darkness. Ramana may be contacted on cell number 863934473.

Another noble job in which they are involved is rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned girl children. Likewise, they save newborn babies that are thrown into gutters, flung among bushes, fed to street dogs or left inside garbage bins and other vulnerable places by cruel, unwed mothers who don’t want to live with the stigma of their own indiscretions.

These Saviours of children see great worth and value in discarded girl children who after all are created in the image of God. Unfortunately, some of the discarded girl babies they pick up do not see the light of the day; for, at times it is too late by the time the little angels are found. With tears in their eyes, these young unemployed youths give the babes a decent burial and a touching farewell to eternity.

During the past three weeks alone, the Sanjeevini band spotted abandoned children at secluded places such as HLC canal, Maruthinagar, JNTU road, Sainagar, Ramnagar and Kalyandurgam road. In the past one year, they have buried as many as 23 out of 25 girl babies who died after being found in a wretched state that includes inanition, infections and severe mauling.

Talking to 'The Hans India', Sanjeevini president Ramana points out that steps must be taken to make Aadhaar-linking mandatory to all pregnant women who deliver in medical institutions so that mothers who abandon their babes can be tracked and punished according to law.

These mothers are so merciless that they are simply throwing away the babes like garbage, though they do have the option of leaving them at any of the Government Sishu Vihars. He has urged Superintendent of Police G.V.G. Ashok Kumar to take the lead in the direction, and save hapless babes from the clutches of heartless mothers who do not bat an eyelid to snuff out the little one’s life to save their skin.

By Ravi Prasad Benjamin