Families sleep on Delhi sidewalks while children receive hospital treatment
By Emma Carter
Image information
This is a representative image for this Daily News lesson.
Intro
In New Delhi, families who travel long distances for medical care sometimes sleep on sidewalks while their children stay in the hospital.
Vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| lodging noun | noun | Meaning: a place to stay for a short time | Example: The travelers found cheap lodging near the station. |
| leukemia noun | noun | Meaning: a serious cancer of the blood and bone marrow | Example: The child is receiving treatment for leukemia. |
| urgent adjective | adjective | Meaning: needing immediate attention | Example: The nurse called because the patient had an urgent problem. |
| pavement noun | noun | Meaning: a hard surface beside or next to a road for people to walk on | Example: People walked carefully on the wet pavement. |
| accommodation noun | noun | Meaning: a place where someone can live or stay | Example: The school arranged accommodation for visiting students. |
The story
Families who travel to New Delhi for medical treatment may face another serious problem after they reach the hospital: finding a place to sleep. Some families cannot afford rented lodging, so they make temporary sleeping areas on the sidewalk outside the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, or AIIMS.
The families often come from far away. The Kumar family traveled from Bihar, more than 600 miles from Delhi, because they could not afford their 6-year-old son’s cancer treatment in Bihar. Their son is being treated for leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. His parents, Shabana and Arun Kumar, sleep outside the hospital while they wait for news about him.
The parents sleep in shifts of about an hour. They worry that an urgent call about their son could come while they are both asleep. Other families also rest on blankets or sheets placed directly on the pavement. Some attach mosquito nets to railings to protect themselves and their children. Their bags and other belongings stay beside them.
AIIMS helps reduce medical costs for families who need support. However, accommodation during treatment is still difficult for many people. Treatment can last days, weeks, or months, making a safe and affordable place to stay especially important. For these families, the sidewalk becomes a temporary home while they remain close to their loved ones.
Warm-up questions
- What problems might families face when they travel far for medical treatment?
- How could a family stay near a hospital if it could not afford a hotel?
Comprehension questions
- Why did the Kumar family travel from Bihar to New Delhi?
- Why do Shabana and Arun Kumar sleep in shifts?
- What do some families use to protect themselves and their children from mosquitoes?
- How long can treatment last for some families?
- What becomes a temporary home for these families?
Opinion questions
- Do you think hospitals should provide sleeping places for families? Why or why not?
- What would be the hardest part of sleeping outside near a hospital?
Further discussion
- What kinds of support could local communities offer families during long treatments?
- How might long hospital stays affect parents and children in different ways?
Writing prompt
- Write a short paragraph explaining the main problem in the article and one possible solution.
