Indian girl gets cancer, parents refuse treatment for their daughters, afraid of "not being able to marry out"

Jimu news reporter Song Qingying

According to the Indian Express reported on February 6, the rate of indian girls who have cancer is extremely low. After many girls have cancer, the parents of girls will voluntarily give up treatment, on the grounds that they are worried that their daughters will not be able to marry in the future.

Indian blood cancer girl, source: India Express

Last year, a girl from Latur was tested for leukemia and treated at a hospital in Mumbai. However, on March 7, 2021, the girl's father insisted that she be discharged from the hospital and take her back to her hometown.

When the volunteer contacted the girl's father, he refused to continue treatment on the grounds that "they still have a daughter in the family" and the girl died a few weeks later.

A secretary of the Children's Cancer Foundation told the harsh truth: "People think girls' lives are not so valuable. ”

Dr SD Banavali of Pediatrics at Tata Memorial Hospital said: "For some girls with cancer, when we suggested that organs be removed to save the girls' lives, many parents refused, fearing that their daughters would not be able to marry later. ”

Banawali said he also observed that when some girls need amputations to save lives, their parents also refuse to accept it.

There are also some Indian parents who also opt out after their daughter has already arranged a treatment plan.

Anita Peter, executive director of the Cancer Patient Assistance Association, said Indian parents often refuse to upload photos of their daughters to crowdfunding sites, "they fear that if their relatives or neighbors know that their daughter has cancer, she will not be able to marry later." So they refuse to raise medical bills, even if it will come at the cost of their daughter's life. ”

According to records at Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), India's largest cancer hospital, a total of 18,394 children from across India were treated for cancer in the 10 years from 2011 to 2021. Of these, as many as 11,962 were boys, or 65 per cent, while the remaining 6,432 were girls, or only 35 per cent.

The hospital said girls were losing to boys in the fight against cancer.

In northern India, the sex differences between children receiving cancer treatment are even greater. A study by the Indian Medical Science Research Institute (AIIMS) showed that in northern India, the ratio of boys to girls treated for cancer is as high as 5:1.

According to TMH pediatric oncologist Girish Chinnaswamy, most childhood cancers are blood cancers or cancers of bones, lungs, brains and other parts. Early detection and timely treatment can make nearly 80 percent of cases recover, but girls who are not treated for cancer are losing their chances of survival.