Alappuzha: Biju Joseph, 39, who has remained a cripple for the last 17 years following an accident, can now hope to lead a better life thanks to the initiative of the Alappuzha medicos.
Last week, he attended a skill development programme held by ‘Karunyam,’ a pain and palliative care unit of the medical college here, where he learnt the skills of making handicrafts and ornaments.
Joseph was one of the temporary workers employed by the water authority to launch the super- chlorination programme following the outbreak of Cholera in the district in 1996. He fell off the 22-foot water tank run by the authority at Kappakada of Punnapra here as he became unconscious while chlorinating it.
His spinal cord was injured and he has remained wheel chair-bound since then. The water authority has not done anything to alleviate his misery.
“I have been living in a small house at Kappakada. Initially, I got some financial assistance from voluntary organisations. After I registered a case, I got Rs 1.5 lakh a decade ago. I need about Rs 1,000 per month for medical expenses alone. Still I cannot move my legs and my hands do not function well,” he says.
Joseph is now being looked after by his old parents. “I have no other relatives. I have spent 17 years inside the home. Hence, I decided to learn the skills of making handicrafts and ornaments from Karunyam,” he says.
Dr Sairu Philip, associate professor who heads the pain and palliative care unit, says Joseph is being provided raw materials to make handicrafts, soap powder and soap apart from different types of ornaments. “We will also help him to market the products,” she says.
