Home > Chiru > Others > Times of India                                                       Chiranjeevi for Times of India

In recent days I have felt quite disturbed at young lives being lost to the mystery fever, which has been spreading in quite a few districts of the state. My heart goes out to those mothers who helplessly had to watch their children die an untimely death.

I remember the grief on my mothers face when my two-year-old sister Ramana died as a result of some mysterious fever when we were living in Ponnur. I must have been 10 year old then. The death and my mother tears and pain left a deep scar in my mind. Perhaps that's the reason why I cannot help but react to the death of scores of children due to the mysterious fever.

It is not that we are living in some uncivilized part of the world to reconcile ourselves to such death. Of course, the government is doing what it can. In an alarming situation like this, the citizens and in particular those belonging to the medical fraternity should not be indifferent.

Mother Teresa was not born in India. She still chose to serve the poor and sick people here. Her human nature took precedence over everything. We all have our respective preoccupations but I am very certain that all of us too have human side, which wants us to be of some help to the people in need.

I know a doctor in Hyderabad, P Mithra, whose motto is only to serve. He happens to be the son of P Ramachandra Reddy, brother of late communist leader Puchalapally Sundaraiah. Dr. Mithra had a good practice in UK. But responding to a television programme that chronicled the trauma of many innocents who were victims of landmines in Cambodia, he rushed to their aid giving up a flourishing practice.

Subsequently, Dr. Mithra chose to return to the motherland and serve his people than going back to UK for a more rewarding career. I am touched by his innate urge to serve the needy not bothering about geographic boundaries or races of people.

At these critical times, the villages affected by the mysterious fever and other deceases need doctors and medical help. I earnestly call upon all the corporate and private hospitals, individual doctors and doctor associations in the cities to visit villages and render medical help.

There are people like me who would live to give financial support to such a noble need. Let's do our bit in this hour of need. Lets satisfy our human instinct to be of help to the needy.

PS: Chiranjeevi wrote this article for Times of India on 17th July 2003.

Courtesy : Times of India

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