Burnt pregnant woman cries for help

Salma Begum. Photo: Collected

A pregnant woman, who got serious burn injuries while cooking a week ago, is groaning in pain at home as her poor family failed to continue her treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Salma Begum, wife of farmer Rubel Mia of Golapnagar village in Ghior upazila of Manikganj, caught fire during cooking with her earthen stove in the morning on February 7, said the husband.

“She was rushed to Ghior upazila Health Complex and later taken to Manikganj 250-bed Hospital. From there, she was shifted to the burn unit of DMCH on the same as her body was burnt down by 30 percent,” said Rubel Mia.

“I spent around Tk 80 thousand in five days. Failing to bear the high treatment cost, we brought her home on Wednesday,” he said.

“We feel utterly helpless as Salma is three months' pregnant and we have a two-year-old daughter.

Salma said, “My parents died many years ago. My husband is a poor farmer and we have no rich relative. I could not continue treatment at hospital due to lack of money.”

She has sought help from generous people for her treatment.