FAISALABAD: An orphan boy is losing his eyesight as he is unable to pay for his treatment.

The problem in his right eye began after he underwent a surgery following an accident.

Wajid, a resident of Ghulam Mohammadabad`s Jamil Town, sufferedheadinjuriesin an accidentnear Madina Chowk on Aug 13. His elder brother Javed (who was driving the motorcycle) and a passerby were injured.

The 19-year-old lad underwent a surgery at the Allied Hospital and doctors sent him home after few days. He told Dawn that surgeons prescribed him medicines that he got from the hospital.

Thereafter, he said, his brother bought medicines costing Rs1,050 and `we are now unable to further purchase the prescribed medicines due to abject poverty.

`I visited the doctors who said I am squinting because of muscle weakness,` he said while narrating his ordeal. `First we lost our parents and two elder brothers because of tuberculosis and Javed is also suffering from the same disease and takingmedicine these days.

Now I am losing my eyesight and have no means to continue my treatment,` Wajid said.

Usman Ali, a neighbour of orphan brothers, said both were living in a small room of a two-marla house.

`They have rented another room of their house against Rs2,500 a month and both share the amount to make both ends meet. Wajid stays at homeand his brother looks after him,` he said and demanded that the government must take care of such marginalised people.

Criticising the city district government, Javed said many officials had promised financial assistance knowing that TB had claimed lives of four members of his family but no one turned up after that.

He said former DCO Nasim Sadiq, now serving as secretary livestock Punjab, had promised financial assistance and our complete checkup but he didn`t fulfill his pledge.

Javed said a couple of months ago doctors had diagnosed TB and some people arranged medicines for him. A doctor of the Allied Hospital bore the expenses ofhis tests,he added.

He said they were struggling to apply for computerised national identity cards. `We managed to collected a few hundred rupees to grease the palms of the union council secretary to get birth certificates. However, the secretary issued us fake certincates.

On complaint, the DCO suspended the secretary from service but restored him to office after a few days,` he alleged.

He said he had to sell his motorcycle to bear the treatment expenses of Wajid.