Disabled father battles for sons HIV treatment
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Dhaka, Bangladesh – Aslam Daria, a rickshaw driver whose legs were paralyzed at the age of three, now moves by crawling on his hands and knees. He is currently at the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute in Dhaka with his seven-month-old son, Tajim, who is admitted to the intensive care unit for measles. A slight improvement in his son’s condition has brought a glimmer of relief to Daria’s face.
Daria, originally from Kotalipara in Gopalganj, brought his son to the capital after Tajim became critically ill. His wife is also with them at the hospital. The family’s sole income comes from Daria’s earnings as an auto-rickshaw driver, supporting four children, with Tajim being the youngest. Tajim is currently receiving treatment in bed number nine of the ICU, and Daria makes the difficult journey to see his son by crawling.
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“The doctors here say my son’s condition is now more or less stable,” Daria said.
Tajim was admitted to the hospital last Saturday and was moved to the ICU within half an hour of arrival. Prior to reaching Dhaka, Tajim had been admitted to the Kotalipara Health Complex with fever, cough, pneumonia, and measles. After a day there, he was transferred to Sheikh Sayera Khatun Medical College in Gopalganj, where doctors advised taking him to Dhaka. Upon admission to the Dhaka hospital’s ICU, medical staff informed Daria that Tajim required three injections, each costing 15,000 Bangladeshi taka ($135 USD), a cost that deeply worried him.
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Daria explained that his income barely covers his family’s basic needs. The treatment for his son’s measles has already cost nearly 100,000 taka ($900 USD), accumulated through loans. He managed to purchase one of the critical injections himself. Previously, a female doctor at the hospital had provided some financial assistance.
On Thursday morning, Farida Khanom, the Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate of Dhaka, visited the hospital. She informed reporters that Daria was struggling to afford his son’s treatment and had considered taking him home. Khanom stated that on behalf of the Prime Minister, the district administration would now bear the responsibility for Tajim’s medical expenses.
Daria shared with a local newspaper that the Deputy Commissioner handed him 50,000 taka ($450 USD) on behalf of the Prime Minister, which has eased his financial burden. He added that the Deputy Commissioner assured him of further assistance if needed. Tajim has suffered from various illnesses since birth, and the current measles complication has worsened his health, leaving Daria anxious about his son’s recovery and return home.
The health directorate reported on Thursday that in the last 24 hours, seven more children have died from measles or its symptoms nationwide. Three deaths were directly attributed to measles, and four to measles-related symptoms. These fatalities occurred between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning.
According to the report, an additional 1,423 children exhibited measles symptoms across the country during the same period. Since March 15, the total number of patients presenting with measles symptoms has reached 59,279.
The health directorate’s data also indicates that 208 confirmed measles cases were identified in the last 24 hours. Since March 15, a total of 8,275 children have been diagnosed with measles nationwide.
Hospital admissions for children with measles symptoms since March 15 total 46,407, with 42,336 having been discharged after recovery.
Cumulatively, since March 15, 405 children have died from measles symptoms and 83 from confirmed measles, bringing the total death toll to 488.
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