Dhaka: After Muktamoni, a 12-year-old girl suffering from a rare skin condition, another girl, named Muskan Akhter Shuma, has been admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit with tumor in her hand.

Doctors found tumor in right arm’s blood vessels of the 10-year-old girl. The physicians claimed Shuma’s condition is more complicated than Muktamoni’s.

Shuma was brought to the hospital’s Burn Unit on 13 August. Burn Unit’s doctors said they will conduct more medical tests of Shuma. For that, the physicians are planning to for a medical board. According to the board’s decision, the treatment process of Shuma will begin.

Our reporter found Shuma at the third floor of the Burn Unit. Her swelling right arm has signs of tumor, which is as heavy as stone. Shuma covered her hand with a piece of cloth. She only uncovered her hand when the physician asked to see it.

Shuma is a resident of Rupganj in Narayangaj. Shuma’s grandmother Halima Begum is taking care of her granddaughter. Shuma’s father, Shafiqul Islam Shuman is staying at Saudi Arabia. She studied up to class I in a local school.

Halima Begum, the grandmother of Shuma, told NTV Online Shuma’s mother gave birth to her by c-section. After her birth, doctors found her right hand slightly irregular. The right hand was thicker than the left one. However, the hand becomes thicker as Shuma grows older. Now, Shuma cannot use her right hand.

Halima said, Shuma was taken to capital’s Apollo Hospital and later at Square Hospital in 2012. However, the hospitals failed to provide any treatment to Shuma.

In 2014, Shuma was taken to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, where the doctors conducted two surgeries on her two hands and chest. Yet, Shuma’s condition did not improve.

Halima Begum said, ‘We saw Muktamoni is recovering. She had the same condition as Shuma. We came here (DMCH) with hope, now the doctors know how they will treat Shuma.’

Shuma’s mother is now at home. She has a brother, Shihab, 11 years old.  

Burn Unit and Plastic Surgery unit Assistant Professor Mohammad Rabiul Karim Khan (Papon) kept Shuma under observation. He told NTV Online, Shumi’s illness originated from a place near her heart. The tumor formed at the place and gradually spread on her hand. That is why; Shuma’s case is more complicated and challenging than that of Muktamoni.  

Rabiul Karim Khan said a medical board will be formed to discuss about the condition of Shuma on next week. Further treatment will be given to Shuma as per the board’s decision.

He said, ‘Our focus will try to make her recover without amputating her hand. The tumor on her body is very aggressive and is spreading quickly. Moreover, she had other birth defects which are causing several other problems. We are trying to resolve the problems. She will need blood during the surgery.’

Earlier, Muktamoni, a 10-year-old girl of Kamarbaisa village in Satkhira sadar upazila, was admitted to the hospital on 11 July with a malignant growth on her right arm.

The disease was apparent when she was around only one and a half years old but she was brought here last week, said Dr Rahman.

According to her father Ibrahim, a grocery shop owner of Kamarbaisa village in Sadar upazila, Muktamoni and her twin sister Hiramoni were a pair of healthy baby girls at birth.

However, when Muktamoni was about 18-month-old, a wart appeared on her right arm.