Deaf, dumb dumped at DMCH

From: The Daily Star, Bangladesh - Dec 27, 2003

Staff Correspondent

An abandoned child at last finds a home at Uttara and a ray of hope shines for him to lead a normal life.

A private shelter has decided to adopt the child who had been abandoned at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) nine days ago.

The four-year-old physically and mentally challenged boy will be shifted to the home at Uttara today. The Social Welfare Department has arranged the accommodation for the boy.

The boy, weighing 12kg and in T-shirt, shorts and slippers, was left at the door of gynaecology ward No. 15 at around 11:30am on December 18. No-one claimed the child till date.

"His dress suggests he is from a well-off family," an attendant of DMCH children's ward said.

"The boy is blind, deaf and dumb. He cannot walk or move his hands and legs," said Asma Akhter, a nurse.

"The boy also lacks mental growth and does not respond to any call or sign," she added.

The child was later admitted to the DMCH children's ward.

The social welfare department agreed to take care of the child and appointed Saleha Begum Thursday to attend to the child in hospital.

"The boy can now walk a little and understand some signs," Saleha said, adding: "He can now make signs indicating his need to go to the bathroom."

"We are hopeful of improving his physical and mental health," said Social Welfare Officer Firoza Khanam.

© 2003 The Daily Star, Bangladesh