Saran, a 10-year-old boy from Chepang community in Ghyalchowk, had an accident 18 months ago. He apparently had several bone bridges that were not treated properly due to lack of medical care. He is unable to walk since then, his right leg is significantly shorter because the femur has merged with the hip socket, and he cannot bend his right arm because the elbow joint has been severely damaged. Saran’s school is a 20-minute walk away and on rough terrain. As a result, he was unable to attend school. He also had an open wound on his thigh that was constantly infected and not healing.
We met Saran for the first time during our visit in October 22. It was quickly clear that he needed to be helped. Physically damaged and in addition without school education his future would look bleak.
After consultation with him and his parents, Saran was taken to a hospital in Kathmandu where his wound received proper medical attention and examinations were performed on his overall condition. The doctors diagnosed bone tuberculosis, which needs to be treated with medication. It can take up to 18 months to heal.
After a few days, Saran was released from the hospital on crutches. He now lives again with his family and is medically cared for by a nurse every two days. In the meantime, his wound is completely healed and he has become stronger thanks to additional protein-rich foods such as eggs and beans.
With the help of the crutches, he is now able to attend government school again.
Once the tuberculosis has healed, treatment for Saran’s arms and legs will once again become an issue. Unfortunately, the prognosis for the complete recovery of his musculoskeletal system is not very good – but hopefully an improvement will be possible.
