What happened to Oahida?

7-month-old Oahida and her mother, Mdm Farjana arrived in Singapore from Bangladesh in April to visit her father, Mr Masum, a construction worker in Singapore. However, on 19 April, Mdm Farjana noticed that Oahida was distressed and had poor appetite. Over the next few days, Oahida cried constantly, couldn’t eat properly, appeared breathless and vomited on multiple occasions.

On 22 April, Oahida had difficulty moving and her skin started turning blue. Mdm Farjana and Mr Masum rushed her to the hospital at 10pm. Oahida was transferred to the Critical Care Unit after a check on her vitals revealed low oxygen levels, low blood circulation and a weak heartbeat. Oahida spent 3 days in the Critical Care Unit, and 2 days in the Intensive Care Unit before being warded under the General Ward. In total, Oahida was hospitalised for 10 days from 22 April to 1 May.

Oahida was diagnosed with Severe Mitral Regurgitation, a condition where the blood in her heart is leaking from a valve located between the left chambers in the heart. Oahida was recommended for heart surgery to repair the leaking valve.

If left untreated, Mitral Regurgitation may lead to high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure.

How can you support Oahida’s recovery?

Mr Masum initially reached out to the National Heart Foundation in Bangladesh as the fees in Singapore are too costly for them to afford. However, the Bangladesh hospital is unable to perform the surgery on such a small infant of Oahida’s age. They advised that they can do surgery when Oahida turns 4 years old, but Mr Masum and Mdm Farjana are advised by the heart surgeon in Singapore that the surgery should not be delayed as Oahida’s condition may worsen.

For a non-Singaporean, a heart surgery to repair Oahida’s leaking valve would cost an estimated $65,584 inclusive of post-surgery care. Should complications arise during the surgery, the cost may add up to $94,436.

Ray of Hope is fundraising $94,436 to cover the maximum cost of Oahida’s surgery. If no complications arise during the surgery, any leftover funds from this campaign will be used to offset the outstanding bill amount of $37,066.17 incurred from Oahida’s recent 10 day hospitalisation. 

Your donations will allow Oahida to receive crucial treatment for her condition and ease her parents’ worries. This surgery will allow Oahida to return to Bangladesh in better health and allow her to enjoy a better quality of life. 

Find out more about the family:

Mr Masum came to Singapore on 11 March 2023 to work as a general construction worker. Two months later in May, he was promoted to a safety supervisor after completing a safety course. With regular overtime, he earns a monthly salary of up to $1,300 which is used to financially support his wife and daughter, his school-going sister and his parents, who are unemployed.

Mr Masum initially rented a room for 2 months for his wife and daughter to stay during their holiday. However, due to Oahida’s condition their stay in Singapore extended beyond the rental’s lease period. As such, the family was forced to leave the rental and seek alternative shelter. Currently, Mr Masum’s wife and daughter are taking shelter with a community partner while they continue their search for accommodation.