Family struggles to pay for Gurung’s expenses

– Devendra Bhattarai, HARIYANA

Feb 28, 2016- As veteran musician Amber Gurung struggles with the Parkinson’s at the Haryana-based Medanta Hospital in India, his family has been facing difficulties to manage the expenses of treatment which has already lasted a month.

According to his family, Gurung has been undergoing treatment at the radiotherapy unit of Medanta Hospital after he suffered serious problems of the digestive system and vascular disease.

“My family members have difficulty paying for the expenses. I am clueless how long we should stay here to complete the chemotherapy,” said the 79-year-old.

Renowned composer, singer and lyricist Gurung, who also served as the vice-chancellor of the Nepal Academy of Music and Drama, is the composer of Republic Nepal’s national anthem.

Amber is accompanied by his son Raju and daughter Alka. After being informed at the Nepali Embassy in India about Gurung’s condition, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli sent his personal secretary Indra Bhandari to Medanta last Monday during his Delhi visit.

“I met Gurung, his daughter Alka at Medanta and expressed the well wishes on PM Oli’s behalf. The government will soon decide to provide financial help for Gurung’s treatment,” said Bhandari. Nepali Ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhyaya also had written to the government for help.

“Treatment is very costly here. We’ve spent around Rs2 million in the past month,” said Alka. Doctors at the Oncology and Gastrointestinal units of the hospital, Dr Ashok Baidhya and Dr Randhir Sood have been attending on Gurung. Doctors are supplying nutrition intravenously after Gurung had some problems in the small intestine.

Gurung’s wife Bina is also bed-ridden due to paralysis at their rented apartment in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu. Three weeks ago, Chief of Army Staff Gen Rajendra Chhetri, during his Delhi visit, also assured Gurung of assistant. However, the Army has not followed up on it.

According to Alka, her father has to be kept at the hospital for at least another month to complete the chemotherapy. In Mumbai, PM Oli had said he would find out ways to help Gurung from the government.

Though Gurung’s students and well-wishers are planning to set up a fund through donations, Gurung has not agreed to their proposal. They are in discussion about launching the “Amber Gurung Treatment Campaign” in Kathmandu and are also trying to meet PM Oli to appeal for help.

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