Bharatpur:
For the month-old infant Damini, whose father, rickshaw puller Babloo, was forced to earn his daily wage even as he kept her strapped to his chest, it is a struggle between life and death. At just 1.4 kilos, she is severely malnourished and is also suffering from a blood infection. Doctors say she will probably need transfusion.
"Reports shows she has an infection in her blood," said Dr Ashok Gupta, the paediatrician who had been treating her in Bharatpur.
With reports in the media and tons of support pouring in by surfers of NDTV, the state government has also stepped in and promised to fund the baby's treatment in Jaipur, where she was today moved for specialised care.
"The child is critical and we have decided to shift her to Jaipur," said Gyan Prakash Shukla, the Collector of Bharatpur. The chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee and Bharatpur's District Collector had spent most of the day at the private hospital where Damini was being treated.
Five days after she was born, Damini's mother had died due to anaemia. It was left to the father, Babloo, to take care of the infant. With no close relatives on hand, Babloo decided to take his small daughter with him to work. But, being out in the open eventually took its toll on the infant and she fell ill.
Babloo spent many days trying to get his daughter treated at the government hospital in Bharatpur, but after running from pillar to post, with the help of a few locals, he brought her to the care of Dr Gupta, who treated the infant free of cost.
The father in the meantime is distraught. He is under pressure to give up the child to foster care, but says he will not part with his baby.
"When she grows up, I will send her to school. I don't want her to grow up on the streets. I want proper upbringing for her," said the ambitious father.
Ever since NDTV ran the story of baby Damini two days ago, a flood of support has been flowing in for the one-month-old and her father. Perhaps, what they desperately now is all your prayers.
HOW YOU CAN HELPIf you would like to make a donation to help Babloo, here are the details of his bank account:
A/C no 61169794778
Account holder's name: Mr Babloo, S/O Jeevan Lal
Bank name: State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur
Branch: Bharatpur, Collectorate (10557)
IFSC: SBBJ0010062
Phone no: 05644225071
Some surfers trying to transfer money through ICICI are getting an error saying the account number needs to be 12 digits. This is because they are selecting to pay to another ICICI account.
They need to select Option 3: Non ICICI Bank Account using NEFT/RTGS across India
Note: This information has been provided / published on a good faith basis, without any commercial motive. NDTV does not vouch for the authenticity of the claims made by the intending done, nor can we guarantee that the donations made by a donor will be used for the purpose as stated by the intending donee. You are requested to independently verify the contact information and other details before making a donation. NDTV and/or its employees will not be responsible for the same.