“Papa, will I get better?” – Little Shambhavi Gurla battling heart disease asks her father

Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal assures complete treatment to the family from Bhopalpatnam

Treatment of Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) to be carried out at Raipur’s Advanced Cardiac Institute

Raipur, Sept 2025 : At Raipur’s Advanced Cardiac Institute, an 11-year-old girl from Bijapur district is set to receive treatment for Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD).

Shambhavi Gurla, a 7th-grade student from Varadli village in Bhopalpatnam block, had only one innocent question in her eyes—“Papa, what has happened to me, will I get better?”

Her father, who supports the family through farming, would often fall silent when she asked this. Three months ago, doctors at the Bijapur District Hospital diagnosed her with RHD. They advised treatment in Raipur, but the family feared that the costs there would be unaffordable. Gradually, their hopes began to fade.

Every day at home, the same question lingered—“What will happen now? How can we get our daughter treated?” While her mother would cry and hug Shambhavi, assuring her everything would be fine, her father’s worried eyes told another story.

Finally, gathering courage, he took his daughter directly to Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal. The minister personally met Shambhavi and immediately spoke to Dr. Smit Srivastava at the Advanced Cardiac Institute, Raipur. He instructed that her treatment should begin without delay, assuring the family, “Do not worry about expenses, the government will bear all responsibility.”

Hearing these words, Shambhavi’s mother broke down in tears and said in a trembling voice, “Minister sir, you are giving our daughter a new life. For us, you are no less than a doctor.” Following the minister’s directions, Shambhavi has now been admitted to ACI Raipur, where a team of doctors will conduct examinations and start her treatment.

This government initiative is not only a lifeline for one little girl but also a message of hope to every poor family in the state.

Today, seeing the relief on her parents’ faces, Shambhavi is smiling again. She keeps asking her father—“Papa, will I be able to play again soon?” This time, her father’s eyes do not hold tears of fear, but a spark of hope.