An elderly diabetic woman in Kota Damansara has been ignored by her four children and lives only on welfare assistance.
PETALING JAYA: A little panic crept into the excitement of a handicapped woman as she met the press for the very first time. A visit to her home revealed how she manages on her own despite having lost all her toes on the left foot.
Leaving visitors aside, Nagamma Rajoo, 66, is even seldom visited by her own children, who live less than 2km away. Her husband left her 10 years ago and remarried.
“I am alone and unlike others I do not depend on anyone,” she said in tears.
A peek into her kitchen shows that this woman survives mostly on instant food. Her meals are very little as she splits the welfare funds for her daily survival and medical needs.
She prays that someday her condition will improve though her left foot is quite bad due to diabetes. Nagamma has been in this condition for more than 5 years. She currently survives with the aid rovided by the welfare department.
“I receive RM300 from the welfare department and do enjoy OKU (disabled person) privileges, but it isn’t enough to support my medical needs,” she said.
She is on insulin for diabetes and takes three injections a day.
“Do you think insulin injections are cheap?” she asked.
Nagamma also claimed that at times she skips meals to purchase medicines or medical equipment.
“I take my insulin without food at times, and I feel very weak, she said.
Being a disabled woman, Nagamma faces profound isolation within her community. She claims to be never invited to join celebrations of her relatives and friends.
‘Who can I speak to?’
She is sad over the prejudices that she encounters from the Indian community due to her disability.
This resulted in Nagamma never leaving home except for her hospital visits and to purchase groceries.
Nagamma also suffers from other medical conditions such as high blood pressure and heart problems.
On how she manages alone, she said that she has her limitations in coping with household chores due to her disability, and at times her neighbour helps by cleaning her home.
“I consider myself to be fortunate as I have a neighbour who is very helpful,” she told FMT.
The mother of four broke down when asked about her being alone.
“Who can I speak to? Who will climb a flight of stairs to visit me?” she questioned.
She further said that going to a welfare home is out of the question as she can’t afford it.
PETALING JAYA: A little panic crept into the excitement of a handicapped woman as she met the press for the very first time. A visit to her home revealed how she manages on her own despite having lost all her toes on the left foot.Leaving visitors aside, Nagamma Rajoo, 66, is even seldom visited by her own children, who live less than 2km away. Her husband left her 10 years ago and remarried.
“I am alone and unlike others I do not depend on anyone,” she said in tears.
A peek into her kitchen shows that this woman survives mostly on instant food. Her meals are very little as she splits the welfare funds for her daily survival and medical needs.
She prays that someday her condition will improve though her left foot is quite bad due to diabetes. Nagamma has been in this condition for more than 5 years. She currently survives with the aid rovided by the welfare department.
“I receive RM300 from the welfare department and do enjoy OKU (disabled person) privileges, but it isn’t enough to support my medical needs,” she said.
She is on insulin for diabetes and takes three injections a day.
“Do you think insulin injections are cheap?” she asked.
Nagamma also claimed that at times she skips meals to purchase medicines or medical equipment.
“I take my insulin without food at times, and I feel very weak, she said.
Being a disabled woman, Nagamma faces profound isolation within her community. She claims to be never invited to join celebrations of her relatives and friends.
‘Who can I speak to?’
She is sad over the prejudices that she encounters from the Indian community due to her disability.
This resulted in Nagamma never leaving home except for her hospital visits and to purchase groceries.
Nagamma also suffers from other medical conditions such as high blood pressure and heart problems.
On how she manages alone, she said that she has her limitations in coping with household chores due to her disability, and at times her neighbour helps by cleaning her home.
“I consider myself to be fortunate as I have a neighbour who is very helpful,” she told FMT.
The mother of four broke down when asked about her being alone.
“Who can I speak to? Who will climb a flight of stairs to visit me?” she questioned.
She further said that going to a welfare home is out of the question as she can’t afford it.
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