A five-month-old infant, Md Takrim, died at a private hospital in Dhaka on Wednesday morning following a prolonged period of treatment across multiple healthcare facilities. The child’s parents, from Banglabazar in Bhola, later returned home with his body after initial treatment in Bhola and subsequent referrals to hospitals in Dhaka.
The infant was admitted to hospital with fever, cough, and rash. He was first treated at Bhola Sadar Hospital, where his condition gradually worsened. His parents, Md Mohsin and Amena Begum, said they repeatedly sought clarification from doctors regarding whether the child was suffering from measles, but were informed that it was an allergy-related condition.
Mohsin stated that despite continued inquiries, measles was not identified at the initial stage, and treatment continued accordingly. As the child’s condition deteriorated, he was later transferred to Dhaka.
At the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, doctors diagnosed measles along with post-measles pneumonia and other complications. After two days of treatment, the child was referred for paediatric intensive care due to critical condition. As no paediatric ICU bed was available in the government system, he was transferred to the Universal Medical College Hospital in Dhaka.
Treatment Timeline
| Stage |
Location |
Condition/Action |
| Initial admission |
Bhola Sadar Hospital |
Fever, cough, rash; treated as allergy |
| Ongoing treatment |
Bhola clinics/hospitals |
Condition deteriorated |
| Referral |
Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital |
Diagnosed measles with complications |
| ICU requirement |
Dhaka transfer |
Needed paediatric ICU |
| Final admission |
Universal Medical College Hospital |
Critical condition, intensive care |
| Death |
Dhaka hospital |
Declared dead at 10:00 AM |
Doctors at the final hospital stated that the child was admitted in an extremely critical state with measles-related complications. Md Abdul Razzaq, senior registrar of the NICU and PICU unit, said the medical team attempted maximum intervention but the child was declared dead at around 10:00 am on Wednesday.
The death certificate listed the causes as post-measles pneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis, and potassium deficiency. It also noted a congenital heart defect.
Following the death, the parents remained at the hospital until mid-afternoon, after which the body was prepared for transfer. The child was wrapped in a shroud and placed in an ambulance, with the mother seated in the front and the father accompanying the body at the back. Family members reported that the mother was unable to look directly at the child during the journey.
During the crisis, financial difficulties emerged due to the cost of treatment in private care. The family had reportedly expressed willingness to surrender custody of the child if treatment costs could be covered, in an attempt to save his life.
In response to media coverage, Sheikh Robiul Alam, Minister for Road Transport and Bridges, arranged financial assistance. A representative of the minister paid over four lakh taka towards hospital bills and provided an additional one lakh taka to the family.
Despite these interventions and extended treatment across multiple facilities, the infant’s condition could not be stabilised. Following completion of formal procedures, the parents departed Dhaka with the body for their home district of Bhola later that afternoon
Comments