Even after visiting Dhaka 4 hospitals from Madaripur, Soha Moni could not be saved
Photo Collected
Small hair on the head. Make a few combs in that hair with colored rubber bands. Sitting on the bed, 10-month-old Soha Moni smiles. A few days after taking this picture, another picture is circulating on Facebook. Relatives are returning home from the hospital by wrapping Soha’s entire body including her face in pink colored nakshikantha. He died on April 10 of measles and pneumonia.
After visiting four hospitals, Soha Moni died in the RICU (Respiratory Intensive Care Unit) of the Bangladesh Children’s Hospital and Institute in the capital. The center has special facilities to keep lungs functioning with ventilators for patients with severe lung or respiratory problems.
But for the first time there was no chance of admission here. Relatives still can’t believe the smiling baby is no more. The child was taken to Pakhira village of Khwajpur Union of Madaripur Sadar and buried.
In Soha Moni’s vaccination card, it is written when the other vaccinations, including BCG, were administered. The MR vaccine room for measles and rubella at 9 months is empty. Soha’s mother, Lima Akhtar, said, “I could not give the daughter only the measles vaccine.” I have taken the girl to the local vaccination center three times. The center has said every time that the government vaccination is closed. Later I went to Sadar Hospital with my daughter. There was vaccination at that place, but it is said that the vaccination should be taken from the specific vaccination center, they cannot give it. While doing this, the girl died of measles.
Soha’s mother Lima Akhter and uncle Rashedul Islam spoke on the phone on Sunday. Lima said that a lot of money was spent on her daughter’s treatment, more than three lakhs. The girl’s uncle gave it. There was some money saved. He also sold two cows and his jewelry. The mother could not save her daughter even after rushing to four hospitals. He returned home with his daughter’s body.
Lima Akhtar’s regret, “Even if my daughter had a little fever, I would have taken her to a pediatrician.” The girl did not have any major illness. If I could give the measles vaccine, the girl would be in my arms.
Lima Akhter got married three months before SSC exam. Then he couldn’t study anymore. Five years of married life. Another daughter of Lima is three and a half years old. He said that he was able to give all the vaccinations of this girl including measles on time. But now he is thinking about this girl in the measles epidemic around.
Soha’s father Sakib Hossain works as a housekeeper. His brother Rashedul Islam lives in Italy, he came to the country on vacation a couple of months ago. Along with parents, uncle also moved from one hospital to another with Soha. The expatriate uncle expressed his anger about the mismanagement of the hospitals.
On March 26, Soha was referred to a local pediatrician when she developed fever. He was admitted to Madaripur Sadar Hospital on March 29. Then until April 10, the family members kept moving from hospital to hospital with Soha. Starting from clinics, government and private hospitals have not been left out.
“There is no government vaccination, there is no medicine in the hospital, there is no special system in the ICU. I visited different hospitals. Money spent. These words do not go to the ears of the government? Children are dying of measles. But we say, children are the future of the nation. Children cannot survive. What kind of country is this? Uncle Rashedul’s question.
Describing the experience of running to the hospital, Rashedul Islam said that Soha had to be admitted by hand and foot in each hospital. If you go to one hospital, you are told to go to another hospital. After being admitted to Madaripur Sadar Hospital, Soha was not even given oxygen. After being taken to the children’s hospital in Dhaka, the doctors there said that Soha’s condition was very bad during her stay in Madaripur.
When taken from Madaripur to the Children’s Hospital in Dhaka, they were not admitted because there were no seats there. Ask to be taken to another hospital with first aid. An ambulance was hired and taken to the Infectious Disease Hospital in Mohakhali. It is said there, ICU will be needed, ICU beds are not empty. If you want to be admitted to the ward, you have to sign the bond. The hospital authorities will not be responsible if the patient dies. Soha was admitted to the ward thinking that the treatment should at least start. However, as the bed is not empty, oxygen and saline are given on the floor. All medicines have to be bought from outside.
Soha was admitted to the Infectious Disease Hospital in Mohakhali from March 30 to April 4. At one time ICU beds were also available here; But Rashedul said that Soha was asked to be taken to another hospital even from this hospital when her physical condition worsened.
When asked about this, Infectious Disease Hospital Consultant (Child) ARM Sakhawat Hossain said, “The ICU of this hospital does not have artificial respiration system (ventilator) to save the life of children under 6 years of age. We can only monitor and give oxygen to children of this age. This is definitely our failure.’
Rashedul said that when they were asked to take infectious diseases from one hospital to another, they started looking for hospitals with ventilators like crazy. After much searching, it was found that Shyamli’s private City Care General Hospital and Diagnostic Center. 28 thousand rupees were being spent here every day. On the one hand, spending money, on the other hand, the deterioration of Soha’s condition increases anxiety. At one point, the hospital authorities offered treatment at a reduced daily cost under a package.
Finally, when the children’s hospital called and informed that the seat was vacant, Soha was again taken there on April 9. By that time, the child’s condition had worsened. Doctors said, maybe he cannot be saved. In the end it happened.
Jannatul Ferdaus, photographer of Daily Times of Bangladesh, took the picture of Sohar wrapped in kantha on Facebook. He told Prothom Alo, ‘When the family members were returning home with Soha’s body, there was no situation to talk to them. I only took the phone number of Soha’s uncle Rashedul Islam.
Rashedul Islam told Prothom Alo, “It is difficult for a family like us to be treated in a private hospital. If the government does not pay attention, then where will the common people go!’
Source: Prothom Alo Bangla
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