More than a month ago, an octogenarian woman from Hiyanglam Assembly Constituency in Kakching District was reportedly disowned by her family after contracting COVID-19. This horrifying incident came to light recently. Family allegedly disowned 87-Year-Old Wahengbam Shakhi due to fear of contracting the disease. Staff of District Health Society, Kakching on June 16 admitted Shakhi at the Isolation Ward cum Covid Care Centre opened at Kakching Higher Secondary School and has been looking after her. 

Dr. Moirangthem Arun, Medical in-Charge of Kakching Covid Care Centre has said that staff of the Centre picked up Shakhi from here residence near Pole Star College in Kakching District and they have been looking after her since then. The doctor has said that she (Shakhi) came with very low saturation of oxygen and was kept on ventilator. Shakhi was in a debilitating condition and she couldn't walk or even eat food herself. Dr Arun has said that the isolation ward staff nurtured her back to health. They washed her, fed her and carried her fragile body whenever she had to be moved around and looked after her with the true spirit of a corona warrior. Salutes to such and many other unsung corona warriors!

Shakhi who has seen her better days in life but abandoned by her own family during her winding days is now said to be stable. However, no one from her family has approached the authorities yet as of filing this report. Is the family oblivious, ashamed or still leaving in the dark abyss of ignorance, selfishness and heartlessness? Fear is not the solution to this deadly pandemic but knowledge is. Let's show some humanity, cares and embrace the "New Normal".