LAHORE: The family of ailing dhol player Pappu Sain on Tuesday sought financial help from the Punjab government for treatment of the internationally renowned artiste who is suffering from a liver ailment and currently admitted to Shaikh Zayed Hospital here.

Sain, who has been suffering from liver problems for over two years, was admitted to the hospital on Sunday after his health deteriorated. According to media reports, his medical tests have revealed that 80 per cent of the dholiya’s liver is damaged and doctors have suggested a transplant as well as more tests. However, the Sheikh Zayed doctors also cautioned that if the condition of the liver worsens further, the procedure could not be performed as the infection was spreading fast.

The media reports also claim that the transplant and the entire treatment could cost around Rs5 million for which Sain’s family has appealed to the government and chief minister to bear the expenses. The test reports have been dispatched to the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute as well for their opinion.

Pappu Sain’s son told a private channel on Sunday that his father was a national asset and a recipient of Tamgha-i-Imtiaz by the government. Despite all his contributions to the nation, his father could not be admitted to hospital on time and had to wait for over half an hour in the car for a bed to get vacated. He was only admitted as soon as the media reported the dholiya’s ordeal and the family’s appeal, the son added.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2021