Annu, the disabled seven-year-old girl who was left abandoned at Dhaka Medical College Hospital seven months ago, has been living in inhumane conditions.
The helpless girl had developed infectious wounds on her thigh when Dhaka Tribune visited her at the children's ward on Thursday afternoon.
“Such wounds have developed because her pampers have not been changed regularly,” said Hosne Ara, a female Ansar member.
The attendants of other patients claimed that her pampers have not been changed even after two days. They also said Annu was being given bath once in a week.
Replying to the query why Annu was not getting treatment for her wounds, Hashi Rani Das, a duty-nurse at the ward told the Dhaka Tribune: “We asked the special attendant Fhoolbanu to take care of her and clean her time to time, but she cleans her whenever she gets the time.”
Annu's hospital bed seemed extremely dirty. The bedsheet was not clean and was littered with leftover food.
It was learned that Annu is not being fed properly. She is unable to eat properly by herself because of her disability and most of the food given to her often goes to waste.
A man, who has been in a bed next to Annu, said he was at the hospital for 17 days and did not see the girl bathed.
However, Ansar member Rojina and Ahasania Mission staff member Nurnahar have been trying to feed and clean her whenever they were getting time off from taking care of another abandoned boy named Siam.
Regarding the condition of the ill-fated girl, Dhaka Medical College Hospital Deputy Director Mushfiqur Rahim told the Dhaka Tribune that the authorities were aware of the condition of the girl.
He said: “We cannot let a child die in front of our eyes. We try our best to maintain the fundamental needs of the girl. But, we are unable to monitor the situation all throughout the day.”
In such circumstance, the Dhaka Tribune has contacted the high officials of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) and requested them to see if there is any possibility to rehabilitate the girl.
While contacted, Sister Valerie Ann Taylor, founder and coordinator of the CRP, introduced Shariful Islam, country coordinator, IPODMCH project, Canada, and requested that the conversation be taken to him in this regard.
Shariful Islam said: “First someone has to write to the director of the CRP about the girl and we will take necessary steps after understanding the situation.”
Later, a Dhaka Tribune journalist sent an email to the CRP author and requested them to take the required steps in this regard on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Goutam Basak, publication and communication officer of the organization, said: “We have already forwarded the email to our top authority. It will take a couple of days to get the decision.”
Annu was noticed by a Dhaka Tribune journalist when she went at DMCH to visit another abandoned boy Siam at the children’s ward. Doctors said she might have been abandoned for disability.
