Fate has dealt this sweet shop owner in India a rather bitter blow.
The father of eight said he’s unable to continue paying for medical treatment for six of his children, who are paralysed.
So Mr Mohammed Nazir, 42, has written to President Pranab Mukherjee for permission to carry out euthanasia for his children, aged between eight and 18 years.
PHOTO: YOUTUBE SCREENGRAB
His eldest son and youngest daughter have normal growth.
The other children suffer from a rare neurological disease called Canavan. Over time, they suffer seizures and become paralysed, unable to stand or walk on their own.
Their vision and speech are also affected.
Mr Nazir said the kids were born healthy and started developing complications later on:
” Their bones are very weak. They began falling ill when they turned 4 or 5. They are unable to stand and walk on own.”
And there’s only so much that his 5,000 rupees (S$105) monthly pay can cover.
He added: “It’s after exhausting all options that I am forced to take this decision.
“I simply cannot bear to see my children suffering since I am powerless to help them.”
The Times of India said the case falls outside the 2011 guidelines for passive euthanasia, which allow for the withdrawal of life-prolonging medical treatment for terminally ill patients.
The kids’ mother Tabassum, 36, has also lost hope, as her kids’ suffering seems to be increasing with each passing day.
She said: “That’s why my husband and I decided that we have to put a stone on our hearts and end their suffering.”
If their request for mercy killing is turned down, Mr Nazir hopes the President or Prime Minister can give financial help for the kids’ treatment.
Doctor SK Upadhyay said the disease is incurable “but with the help of drug(s) this can be controlled to a limited period”.
Physiotherapist Pankaj Singh Rathore, who treated the children, said tests showed their bodies are getting weaker as they aged.
“I’ve come across a dozen of such cases… in which all the siblings develop a similar disorder.” He added: “The life span of such kids is a maximum of 25 to 30 years but it can be extended a little with physiotherapy.”
WATCH: Father seeks mercy killing for six paralysed kids
Source: www.tnp.sg
