Imphal, September 13: A rickshaw puller TB patient who has been undergoing treatment at TB Hospital Chingmeirong died of alleged starvation today after the Government suspended ration supply to the Hospital.

One Tomba (name changed), another fellow TB patient in the same Hospital identified the deceased as Yumnam Amu (41) of Jiribam while talking to The Sangai Express.

He was from Jiribam, staying currently in a rented room at Soibam Leikai, said Tomba and added that he was admitted to the Hospital by his wife on September 7.After that his wife never came to the Hospital.

Efforts to contact the doctors concerned proved futile and the Superintendent was not present.

When contacted, Health Minister Ph Parijat said that he has no knowledge of the matter and added that his death could not have been directly attributed to starvation death.

Since the day, the hapless and helpless Amu has been living on the little morsels shared by his fellow inmates.

He never had the fortune to have a full meal during his stay at TB the Hospital Chingmeirong.

Even though he was surviving on an empty stomach all those days, he was administered regular doses of TB drugs by the doctors and nurses of the hospital.

Soon after after the doctor left him with an IV injection, he was heard shouting "I'm starving" and when the fellow patients rushed in, Amu was found dead.

With no visitor and no one to help him, Amu occupied bed no 32 starving all day and night.

He never had the fortune to have a day's full meal.

He died starving, regretted Tomba while cursing the State Government.

Yumsha Protein Foods suspended ration supply to the Hospital from September 1 as the contract period had already lapsed.

Another patient of the same hospital died on September 8 before the Government could make arrangement for ration supply.

However, according to Hospital staff, the death of Amu might not be due to starvation alone.

Earlier too, he was infected by tuberculosis.

He complained of difficulties in breathing this morning while his condition was being checked.

Even though the Government provides enough quantity of drugs for direct observation treatment, there is acute shortage of Dextrose 5 % and DNS in the Hospital, said one staff.

Amu could not get enough food even though it is strongly advised that all TB patients should be given protein rich foods.

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