Lahan: Siraha District Jitendra Sada, a 35-year-old resident of Betouna in Golbazar Municipality-12, Siraha, is currently battling for his life at the Provincial Hospital in Lahan. A month ago, while collecting leaves for his goats, Sada fell from a tree, resulting in a fractured spine. His condition remains critical, and due to financial constraints, he has not been able to receive advanced treatment in Dharan or Kathmandu.
Following the accident, Sada was admitted to the Provincial Hospital in Lahan for initial treatment. Doctors have recommended that he undergo advanced care at a higher-level hospital. However, his family’s dire financial condition has made this impossible.
Sada’s family is struggling with extreme poverty. His wife, Asha Sada, a mother of three children, expressed her difficulty in even managing daily expenses. The family is overwhelmed with the burden of medical bills and has been appealing to local social workers and well-wishers for financial support.
Local social activists such as Bharti Das, Kavita Mehta, and Vibha Yadav, a district secretariat member of the All Nepal Women’s Association, have been pooling personal resources to assist with Sada’s treatment. Senior health assistants Lalit Yadav and Sarun Yadav have also been closely monitoring his medical condition.
Madhesh Provincial Assembly member Lalita Das Bidrohi visited the hospital and met with Sada’s family. She has promised to facilitate Sada’s transfer to a suitable hospital in Dharan or elsewhere within a week. Likewise, Ram Dayal Mahato, the ward chairperson of Lahan Municipality-3, has pledged to raise funds for his treatment.
Jitendra Sada belongs to Nepal’s marginalized Dalit Musahar community. As a member of one of the most economically and socially disadvantaged groups, Sada faces compounded challenges from societal neglect and governmental apathy.
Despite residing close to the home of Madhesh Province’s Health Minister, Shatrudhan Prasad Singh Koiri, no active measures have been taken by the ministry to aid Sada. Local communities have voiced deep dissatisfaction over the government’s inaction.
Immediate financial support is critical for Sada’s treatment. His family, along with social workers and medical professionals, has urged the public to assist by contacting the hospital or coordinating through local activists.
Sada’s situation sheds light on the dire state of Nepal’s marginalized communities and the inequities in access to healthcare services. The incident calls for a serious reevaluation of the nation’s commitment to social and economic justice.
Meanwhile, TikTok star Nibha Yadav’s hospital visit and financial support have brought some relief to Sada’s family. Thanks to the continued efforts of Bharti Das, Kavita Mehta, and Vibha Yadav, Sada has managed to stay alive so far.
This incident underscores critical issues of poverty, unequal healthcare access, and societal neglect, sparking a renewed call for collective action to address these challenges.
