Inside a small bamboo makeshift, Humaira Begum, a Rohingya survivor, who’s face was draped with a pink Lummal (scarf), recounted the evening when her family left their homeland Myanmar. Humaira was only 15 when the Myanmar military attacked her village. While Humaira and her parents were about to escape, her father was shot and brutally killed by the Myanmar military.
Later, Humaira and her mother, Samuda Khatun crossed the border and residing in refuge in Camp-20, Ukhia, Cox’s Bazaar. She is the only child of her mother. She griefs, as she cannot do much to contribute and help her mother. She said to our Rohingya Khobor team, “I came to Bangladesh three years ago. I have no brother. I have been suffering from a skin condition since for a long time and unable to do anything due to the continuous pain.”
As she describes, Humaira’s family were not able to take her for treatment while they were in Myanmar. But as soon as she came to Bangladesh and heard about International health institutions, she visited them with hope maybe they will treat her disease.
“So I ran and showed my disease. I went to many health care centres like MSF and BRAC but they gave me simple medicines. They didn’t give me proper treatment. Also, I am unable to take private treatment for my disease because of lack of money. So I appeal to my people to help me as your sister. I can’t work because of unbearable pain,” she added.
Unlike Humaira, many other Rohingya survivors with many other medical conditions are battling with their life. Most of them are genocide survivors with Neurological injury due to gunshot or disfiguring burns from explosive devices. Many of them believes, if they were treated accordingly, they might have recovered.
Will these survivors see that day!
