Dhaka: An infant girl born with her upper and lower gums and jaws fused together underwent a rare and complex surgery in the capital on Tuesday with support from the Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF). The child, Habiba, had been unable to open her mouth or take food normally due to the rare congenital condition, leaving her poor family in severe distress. Her father, a garment worker, was unable to afford the costly treatment. After reports published in the media highlighted the family’s plight, ZRF stepped forward to arrange medical support for the infant. The surgery was conducted on Tuesday morning at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital.
According to United News of Bangladesh, a team of paediatric specialists, led by ZRF Director Dr Shah Muhammad Aman Ullah, supervised the treatment of the child. Doctors involved in the treatment said the condition requires expensive and multiple surgeries for complete recovery. Tuesday’s procedure was the first stage of the treatment process, and physicians expressed hope that the child would eventually be able to lead a normal life. Following the successful operation, the child’s parents renamed their daughter ‘Zubaida’ in honour of Dr Zubaida Rahman, Vice President of the ZRF and wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Her mother Dilruba Akter said they chose the new name out of gratitude and joy after the successful operation.
According to family members, the baby girl was born in April to Habibur Rahman and Dilruba Akter of B-K Bari area under Mirzapur union in Gazipur Sadar upazila. Although the birth of their first child after one year of marriage initially brought happiness to the family, it soon turned into despair when doctors detected the infant’s rare congenital abnormality immediately after birth. As her jaws remained fused from birth, the baby could not open her mouth, forcing her mother to feed her breast milk through a nasal tube using a syringe. The child’s family had been struggling both emotionally and financially due to the baby’s severe condition and the high cost of treatment.
Doctors said following the surgery arranged by ZRF, the infant is now expected to be able to take food through her mouth. The entire surgical process was coordinated under the supervision of Dr Shah Muhammad Aman Ullah, while ZRF member Dr MR Hasan coordinated the operation procedures. A team of specialist physicians from different hospitals in the capital joined the surgery, which doctors described as extremely rare in Bangladesh, considering the child’s age. The surgical team was led by Dr Abdullah Al Masud, while the operation was coordinated by Dr Md Mostafizur Rahman Mamun. The anaesthesia team was headed by Prof Dr Akhter Hossain Loban. Overall support and coordination at the hospital were provided by Prof Dr SM Khalid Mahmud. Several other physicians and specialists from the oral and maxillofacial surgery and paediatric departments also participated in the operation and postoperative care. The infant’s parents expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Ziaur Rahman Foundation for extending support at this cr
itical moment.