Orang asli girl with biliary atresia needs urgent help
PETALING JAYA: One can tell by looking at her pale face, yellow eyes and bloated stomach that Marsa Suhaidi is in desperate need of help.
The four-year-old orang asli child has been diagnosed with biliary atresia, a blockage of the duct that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder or small intestines, since birth.
She has undergone two surgeries locally, but missed most of her follow-ups with the paediatrics department at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
Azizah Hamdan said she could not take her daughter to the hospital due to transport and financial difficulties.
The family live in Kampung Orang Asli Kuala Kerling in Hulu Selangor.
Azizah is a housewife while Marsa’s father ekes out a living by planting vegetables.
“Orang asli folk here rely on motorcycles to move around. There is no car to take Marsa to the hospital,” she added yesterday.
With all the missed follow-up treatments, Azizah said Marsa was exposed to the risk of liver cirrhosis, a condition where the liver is severe
ly scarred, hardened and shrunken.
“If this happens, Marsa would be in need of a liver transplant,” she added.
Yesterday, the Dr Bolton Orang Asli Trust Fund called on the family at their wooden home in the village to check on Marsa’s condition.
(The organisation is named after Dr John Malcolm Bolton who provided comprehensive medical services to the indigenous minorities in the country from 1955 to 1972.)
The trust fund’s chairman, Melati Jamil, said the girl did not speak much and looked weak.
“We came over to find out how we can help the family,” added Melati, who was accompanied by another official from the trust fund.
Melati said the NGO would try to arrange for a transit service to the Gombak Orang Asli Hospital from where Marsa could be taken to HKL.
She said those wishing to help Marsa could contact the NGO at 03-8011 6259.