<i>Fingers crossed for Tuhin</i>
Bangladesh's first progeria patient undergoes surgery
Tuhin
Tuhin is 12, but looks 60. He cannot walk in the sun or play outdoor games, said his mother Taslima. He has to take at least half an hour's rest on return from madrassa. Tuhin is the first to be diagnosed with progeria in Bangladesh on record. The word progeria comes from the Greek progeros meaning prematurely old. It's a rare genetic condition that accelerates ageing in children and occurs in one per 8 million live births. There is no known cure for the disease and few people around the globe could exceed 13 years of age suffering from progeria. "This is the first case of progeria in Bangladesh,” said Prof ABM Abdullah of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) yesterday. “An individual diagnosed with the disease normally survives 12 to 13 years,” said Abdullah. “Still, we are trying our best." Tuhin was undergoing an operation at BSMMU yesterday for hernia, a disease that aged people suffer and he was diagnosed with the disease at five. Due to his physical complexities, it took four hours to complete the operation which is usually a matter of only an hour. However, the operation was successful. “Tuhin has old-age-complexities which made it necessary to operate on him for a longer time,” Abdullah added. Tuhin has wrinkled skin. Other symptoms a progeria patient may have include weak bones and small face and jaw, giving a look of people two or three times older. Tuhin is the 68th living with the disorder worldwide. Around a hundred cases of progeria have been identified in medical history. Yesterday's operation was the first treatment Tuhin received as his rickshaw puller father Mohammad Azibor failed to arrange any treatment for him. The BSMMU authority called Azibor and proposed bearing all medical expenses of his son. The hospital authority also contacted the Progeria Research Foundation, a mission to find the cure and effective treatment for the disease.
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