Patients and relatives forced to live on the pavement outside renowned Basavatarakam Indo- American Cancer Hospital & Research Institute in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad due to lack of affordable accommodation. Dozens of outstation cancer patients receiving treatment under Aarogyasri scheme have no place to stay between therapy sessions so they reside on the sidewalk. An example is provided of a 60-year-old man from a village receiving mouth cancer treatment who must sleep on the pavement with his wife for the next six months whenever they visit the hospital. The footpath outside the cancer hospital serves as a resting place for many poor patients undergoing treatment under the state health insurance scheme.

1. MONDAY 7 JULY 2014 | 16 PAGES www.thehansindia.com
Pavement outside hospital serves as
With no affordable accommodation in
the vicinity of the famed
Basavatarakam Indo- American
Cancer Hospital & Research Institute
at Banjara Hills, patients and their
relatives are forced t0 live, sleep and
shit on the pavement
VENU K KODIMELA
T
he pavements are home for
cancer patients in India’s fifth
largest city. They live on pave-
ments under trees, fetch water from a
nearby pump house to meet their
needs and sleep on the footpath at
night.
This is the daily scene in front of
the renowned Basavatarakam Indo-
American Cancer Hospital & Re-
search Institute at Banjara Hills.
Scores of patients along with their
family members register for treatment
under the Aarogyasri scheme and
wait for their turn.
The poor outstation patients find it
hard to get affordable accommoda-
tion in the posh Banjara Hills area.
Once admitted, the patients are asked
to report after a couple of days for
therapy. With no place to go, they
stay put at the bus bay opposite the
cancer hospital.
60-year-old Lalya from Namapu-
ram village near Nagarjunasagar is
suffering from mouth cancer. He un-
derwent surgery recently and was ad-
vised radiotherapy for six months.
Lalya and his wife now sleep on the
pavement. It is their adda for next six
months whenever they visit the hos-
pital for treatment.
Continued on Page 2
The Cancer WardThe Cancer Ward
The footpath
abetting
Basavatarakam
Indo- American
Cancer Hospital &
Research Institute
at Banjara Hills
serves as a
resting room for
many patients
under the
Aarogyashri
scheme. Photos:
Yuvraj Akula
KALEIDOSCOPE
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