Promised help, denied care: Chandini’s fight against a rare disease and government apathy

Chandini GD, a 33-year-old resident of Navoor in Sullia, Dakshina Kannada, is suffering from a rare and life-threatening condition known as Hypereosinophilic Syndrome. The disease causes her immune system to react violently, even to something as simple as a glass of water, leading to symptoms like severe abdominal pain and internal bleeding. While brief treatment offers temporary relief, the condition frequently returns, affecting different parts of her body each time.

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Following this, on July 4, 2024, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao assured the state assembly that government hospitals had the capacity to treat Chandini and that arrangements would be made. However, he also clarified that financial support would not be extended if she chose private hospitals for treatment.

Acting on this assurance, Chandini was admitted to Narayana Institute of Cardiac Sciences, where she underwent treatment and accumulated a bill of Rs 19 lakh. Despite earlier orders from the health department and the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to support her case, the government has not cleared the dues. As a result, when her condition worsened recently, the hospital refused to readmit her, citing unpaid bills.

Today, Chandini is caught in a vicious cycle, too sick to stay at home, but without the financial backing needed for continued care. The promises made on the assembly floor remain unfulfilled, and her fight for survival continues without the medical security she desperately needs.