Ayesha in ICU, ‘looking for her mother’, Sumaiya talking

Little Ayesha suffering from dengue shock syndrome has been staying at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Dhaka Shishu Hospital for three days. There’s a fixed visiting hour for the parents to see their 3 months 24 days old infant, Ayesha. And the parents are visiting their daughter according to that timetable.

On Thursday night, Ayesha’s father Ansarul Haque told Prothom Alo, “Her mother had gone inside the ICU a few times to see her daughter. She has been responding faintly. Sometimes when she’s hungry, she opens up her eyes. It seems like she searches for her mother.”

Physicians said the physical condition of the infant who fell completely unconscious due to dengue shock syndrome is getting better now.

Shock syndrome is when the blood pressure of the dengue infected person decreases fast, their blood platelet count drops down, the patient’s condition worsens quickly and patient loses consciousness.

Dengue-patient Ayesha had been admitted to Dhaka Shishu Hospital on 30 July. Her physical condition started worsening from 1st August. Her relatives couldn’t transfer her to the ICU at first due to financial crisis.

 After Prothom Alo published a report about Ayesha’s family left helpless to admit her to the ICU in the online version that day, many people came forward with help. Ayesha was taken to the ICU on the same night.

Ayesha is under the observation of Dhaka Shishu hospital professor Prabeer Kumar Sarker. Around 12:00pm on Friday, Parabeer Kumar Sarker told Prothom Alo, “Following the dengue shock syndrome, some complications had arisen in Ayesha’s heart. She has been examined. Though slow, the overall condition of the child seems to be moving towards improvement. If the improvement speed continues to be the same, hopefully she’ll turn a lot more normal within three to four days.”

Ayesha has been in the ICU since 2:00am early Wednesday and her condition remained the same throughout the day. On Thursday morning, Ayesha’s aunt Tanzila Akhter told Prothom Alo that the physicians have told them that her niece has been suffering from heart complications.

Another 13-year-old dengue patient undergoing treatment at the hospital, Sumaiya’s name had also come up in the report featuring Ayesha’s family being left helpless to admit her to the ICU.

Sumaiya had started bleeding from dengue infection. She was in the risk of organ damage from dengue shock syndrome. Finding no ICU bed at Dhaka Shishu Hospital, her father had taken her to a private clinic in capital’s Uttara.

After Prothom Alo had published the report, Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Atiqul Islam took all responsibilities for the treatment of those two children. Many common people also came forward to take responsibility of Ayesha’s treatment at the Shishu hospital.

Even state minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam had also announced of taking responsibility of Ayesha’s treatment. Both of the dengue-infected children are now undergoing treatment at ICUs.

Sumaiya’s father Anwar Sheikh runs a small tea stall. He told Prothom Alo on Friday afternoon, “I had gone to visit her inside the ICU. Sumaiya, opening her eyes asked fr kKhichuri. Taking permission from the physician, I fed her watered down khichuri. My daughter is recovering Insha Allah.”

Sumaiya’s blood platelet count had plummeted to 33,000 last Tuesday. But it increased to 110,000 again this morning, said Anwar Sheikh.  

Ayesha’s father Ansarul Haque and Sumaiya’s father Anwar Sheikh have asked everyone to pray for their daughters.