Disability - Shahidul Haque
 |
Disability - Shahidul Haque
Shahidul Islam of SARPV (Social Assistance and Rehabilitation of Physically Vulnerable) presented a case of coastal area where a considerable number of children are found disabled caused by rickets.
|
Rickets is a disease of bone - occurs due to lack of vitamin D or calcium. Bangladesh is a tropical country and there is enough sunlight & fishes available in the coastal areas. So, there should not be any lack of vitamin D or calcium. But it is seen in the coastal belt that there are many children affected by
rickets.
SARPV is working in Chakaria since 1991 and during the first year of activity it found some children affected with rickets. But it was not seen as many as now. SARPV tried to draw attraction of concerned bodies on this issue from 1992. Finally, in 1998 the issue has been taken up by a group of scientists of Cornell University, a group of doctors from France and Nutrition Department from Dhaka University. Besides this, UNICEF is also helping from 1998 providing different technical support, sending doctors' group to see the situation and its effect at the national level.
SARPV tried to draw the attention of the Public Health Care providers through sending information and publication on this disease but none responded. First in 1994 from WHO one letter was circulated to all the concerned in Public Health Care, yet there was no response. Long time has taken to recognize that there is a serious problem of rickets in Bangladesh. Till now it is not known what for it is happening and still it is not in the notice of Public Health Care providers. Though this problem is like epidemic in the coastal belt, almost all over the country rickets cases have been found. But nowhere there is any step to give special attention on this. A large number of children, who are future generation, are coming to us being a handicap or disabled. It will create socio-economic burden to our national economic growth only due to today's ignorance.
On the other hand from SARPV's experience and observation shows very low prevalence of rickets among the children of tribal areas. Very recently a quick assessment has been done to see the difference between rickets affected children of plain land and the tribal children.
To see the nation wide situation of this issue BRAC & Hellen Keller are also doing quick assessment on prevalence elsewhere in Bangladesh. BRAC found rickets prevalence in more than 6 district including Sylhet, Barisal and
Jessore.
In 1998 with the initiative of SARPV, ICMH conducted a survey in Chakaria area with support and guidance from UNICEF, Cornell University - USA, AEM - France and Dhaka University. The sample survey revealed that rickets affected 9% children of Cox's Bazar district and most of the patients are bellow twenty years of age. So, it can be assumed that prevalence of rickets is very recent.
It is now under diagnosis of SARPV to find out the causes of the disease. US AID through Cornell University, CIMMYT, AEM-France and Dhaka University are supporting in the process of diagnosis.
After presentation of the case a video film was shown on some rickets affected children of Chakaria.
