Quite often we come across poor individuals living on the roadside in pathetic conditions. Some of them even suffer from ailments which are beyond the point of cure. With no one to care, their disease gripped body parts are covered with plastic, jute bags and any material they find on the road. But have you ever thought what could be beneath the plastic? Or who takes care of these people after all?
A 24-year-old youth from Bhopal was struck with the same thought six years ago. Since then, Aayan Khan is helping poor and terminally ill patients living on the roadside to get adequate medical assistance. A student of Master of Arts in Social Work, Aayan has been single-handedly taking care of people who are often neglected and discriminated by society.
Speaking to The Logical Indian Aayan said, “It all started that winter-night when I was returning home with my family in a car. It was too cold even in the car we all were shivering, and suddenly my eyes got stuck to an old-man sleeping in-roads, he was shivering and was in poor condition that moment I could only help him by my jacket, so I gave him that. But that night I couldn’t sleep and decided to help such people. The next morning I got up and started collecting unused clothes from my family members and my colony people, later I went and shared these clothes with them. Since then every winter, I collect and give away clothes to the roadside men.”
Aayan said that the pathetic conditions these people are forced to live in become the cause of worsening of the disease. As a result, their organs start decaying. Whenever Aayan sees such people, he takes them to government hospitals. But some of the patients’ come with wounds and diseases which give immense pain to them and often present a scary sight to watch for the person treating them. The government hospitals deny treatment to such patients. In such cases, Aayan does the required basic treatment. He cleans their wounds and provides them with hygienic medical aid.
“I once came across a man whose body was decayed. When I took him to the hospital, the doctors and nurses were not able to look at him and asked to take him away as he won’t live long. Later I bought some anti-leak medicines and started giving him basic treatment as prescribed by doctors. After some time his infectious body started improving, and presently he is doing fine,” said Aayan.
Some of the patients are grown habitual to their neglect to the extent that when Aayan tries to help them, they get raged. But once they realise that he is there to help, they start cooperating. “I was bitten once by a lady because the lady was physically harassed and her family left her alone to stay in streets, but now she regards me as her dad”, Aayan said.
Aayan has been demanding for a place by the government and NGO’s to help him keep such patients. But his demands have fallen on deaf ears. Some people who came forward to help him initially denied help after watching the conditions of his people. At present Aayan spends from his pocket to treat the people.
On the streets of Bhopal, Aayan can be spotted giving clothes and feeding people on the roadside. According to Aayan, the one who wants to work for society and do social service must stop giving themselves the priority and must be ready anytime and anywhere. The Logical Indian salutes Aayan for his service to the needy and poor. One can reach out to Ayaan at Aayan’s helping hands for needy people’s.
