6 Sep 2008, Bawanipur, Bihar

We had finished for the day. The doctors were winding up. A man was standing with his small child near us. The child seemed to be enjoying sitting on the fathers shoulders, heaving up and down.

“Did you get your medicines?” Dr. Sachin asked. “Yes.”

“What is that on your childs leg? Is that medicine or some other powder?”

There was some white powder on the child’s calf. “Yes it is medicine.”

Kishan is from Madhepur. “You have back pain”, said Dr. Sachin, “is that not so?”

“Yes, we ran a long way. Never have I run so long.”

“You were running away from the waters?” I asked, “Is all of your family safe? How far did you run?”

“Yes all of us are safe. We had to run when the floods came. All that I had was carried away, the rest is under the waters. All I could save was one cow. It was sold at a very low price, but what was I to do I had no money and the child needed medical attention. I just got Rs. 1,500 for the cow and out of that I spent Rs.400 for the treatment of the child.”

“400 rupees! Who took so much money from you? It is outrageous.”

“I consulted 2 private doctors for my child. They took money for consultation, and then I had to buy the medicines. Yesterday a small child died in a camp nearby, a 12 year old girl. I think she had pneumonia and did not get any medical attention. You are the first doctors who have come here to our camp. We are very grateful to you. To us you are God in human form.”

– Nijamrita