DT e-Paper 21 March 2017

24
TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 2017
DT
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BRITAIN’S MAY TO LAUNCH EU DIVORCE
PROCEEDINGS ON MARCH 29 › 9
AYUB BACHCHU TO PERFORM IN AN
INSTRUMENTAL SHOW › 23
KORAIL FIRE
The hapless among the homeless
• Nawaz Farhin
From left, Nargis Khatun, Nasima Akhter, Habiba, Rina Parvin have all lost their livelihoods and homes in the most recent fire
Given the downpour these past
few days, the homeless residents
of Korail, especially the pregnant
women, are at a higher risk of contracting
communicable diseases
without shelter and medical attention.
Since the fire on Thursday night
, many have been squatting near
their rubble of their shanties, including
nine-month pregnant Nargis
Khatun, 28, who has been living
in a tent.
Hungry and pregnant with twins,
she is at risk of contracting communicable
diseases from the rain flooding
the grounds with garbage from
the open sewage in the slum.
Unable to afford three meals as
her husband’s fabric store burnt
down, Nargis told the Dhaka Tribune
that most residents raise funds
to feed them once a day, but that is
not enough nutrition for a pregnant
woman or a breast-feeding mother.
“We do not have a single penny
to our name now since my husband’s
store burnt down. We are
both without a job and I do not
know what I will do when my babies
arrive.
“When the fire broke out, people
were so frantic they ran as fast
as they could, pushing through
everyone. I fell but nobody stopped
to help me. I cannot put my terror
in words,” she said.
Nasima Akhter, 32, pregnant
with her fourth child, said she did
not get to eat anything the first day
after the fire.
She described how helpless she
felt, watching her three children
starve.
“Some political people came
to distribute food and some locals
raised money to feed us who have
who lost everything, but it is not
enough. At best, it adds up to one
meal a day.”
Having had her first child just
16 days ago, Habiba, 22, does not
have enough to eat to produce any
breast milk for her baby who is falling
sick quickly.
Her baby also has respiratory
problems, most likely from breathing
fumes during the fire, but that
cannot to be ascertained as there
is no medical help available at the
slum other than a temporary burn
unit.
Even the Brac School that provided
basic medical check-up for
children has burnt down, she said,
adding that there were no medical
facilities.
Twenty-year-old Rina Parvin,
who is pregnant with her first
child and has been living under a
plastic tent since the fire, said she
was very sick from the fumes. Her
MEHEDI HASAN
husband is unemployed and her
mother, who financially supported
her, lost her vegetable shop in the
blaze.
The family can barely afford to
feed themselves once a day, she said.
Having lost everything, Rina and her
unborn child are now extremely vulnerable
as their health is at risk of
hunger and disease.
Korail slum has been besieged
by three fires since March 2016,
rendering the residents homeless
repeatedly. •
WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY
‘Most parent don’t know what it is, or when their children have it’
• Kamrul Hasan
World Down Syndrome Day is being
observed today with the help of
Down Syndrome Parents Support
Group of Bangladesh and Association
of Medical Doctors of Asia for
the fourth time in Bangladesh at
Dhaka University premises.
1
Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full
or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. This additional
genetic material alters the course of development and
causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome.
2
There are three types of Down syndrome: trisomy
21 (nondisjunction) accounts for 95% of cases,
translocation accounts for about 4%, and mosaicism
accounts for about 1%.
3
Down
4
syndrome occurs in people of all races and
economic levels.
Due to higher fertility rates in younger women, 80%
of children with Down syndrome are born to women
under 35 years of age.
The United Nations declared
March 21 as World Down Syndrome
Day in 2011 to create awareness
of the chromosomal arrangement
that causes the syndrome.
In Bangladesh, there are no studies
on people with the syndrome. It
occurs when a person has an extra
pair of the 21st chromosome, giving
FACTS ABOUT DOWN SYNDROME
5
it the name Trisomy 21.
This year’s theme “My Voice, My
Community” emphasises the need
for people with Down Syndrome to
be able to speak up, be heard and
influence government policy and
action and to be included in society.
“As per international statistics
we assume there are around
People with Down syndrome have an increased risk for
certain medical conditions such as congenital heart defects,
respiratory and hearing problems, Alzheimer’s disease, childhood
leukemia and thyroid conditions.
6
Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has
increased dramatically in recent decades – from 25 in
1983 to 60 today.
7
Quality educational programs, a stimulating home
environment, good health care and positive support
from family, friends and the community enable people with
Down syndrome to lead fulfilling and productive lives. •
Source: National Down Syndrome Society
200,000 people in Bangladesh
with Trisomy 21. We cannot confirm
it without a statistical survey,”
said Sarder A Razzak, executive director
of Down Syndrome Parents
Support Group of Bangladesh.
He says the country is not prepared
to help people with the condition,
especially children. Most
parents are not aware of what it is
or when their children have it, he
added.
The government recently
launched programs for autism, but
Down Syndrome was not included.
Dr Ajanta Rani Saha, secretary
general of Bangladesh Down Syndrome
Association, said a friendly
environment can help children with
Down Syndrome learn better, even
though they might learn slower,
adding that they do not need to be
sent to special schools as most can
cope with regular schooling. •
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