Student dies amid jaundice outbreak in Rajshahi univ

A Rajshahi University student died of kidney failure and jaundice at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on Monday evening, say the hospital authorities.

Md Murad Ahmed Mridha, son of Abdul Sattar Mridha of Natore's Boraigram, was a final-year student of mathematics department.

The death occurred when the number of students suffering from jaundice was going up. A total of 131 students were diagnosed with jaundice between January 15 and yesterday.

According to doctors at the university medical centre, jaundice is waterborne. The students at the dorms and the ones living outside were infected.

Students blamed the unavailability of pure drinking water round the clock from the submersible pumps installed at the halls.

Murad died of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and jaundice at the nephrology ward at 6:05pm on Monday, said Brig Gen FM Shamim Ahmed of RMCH.

"AKI is not a physical blow to the kidney as its name may sounds. It occurs when the blood flow to the kidneys falls short as a complication of another serious health condition," he said.

On January 28, Murad was admitted to the hospital with jaundice, according to hospital officials.

His blood test on that day showed the level of serum creatinine was 15 against a normal of 1.5 milligrams per deciliter suggesting AKI.

This test is done to see how well kidneys are working.

Murad was treated at the hospital till February 2 when his attendants took his release to move him to Dhaka, said the director.

But he was hospitalised again the next day and he died while undergoing treatment, the director added.

Murad was preparing for his final year and BCS examinations staying at Nabil Chhatrbas, a private hostel in Rajshahi's Binodpur area near the campus, said his father Sattar Mridha, who is a farmer.

"I don't understand how a healthy person like him became so ill and died so suddenly. He had never been diagnosed with any kidney disease before," he said.

Murad went home with high fever a week before he was admitted to RMCH.

He tested dengue positive at a private hospital in Bonpara of Natore two days after his returning home, said the father.

"He tested negative three days later, but his condition was deteriorating and we took him to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital," he added.

After his release from RMCH, Murad was taken to Khawaja Yunus Ali Medical College Hospital in Sirajganj on February 2, but doctors there suggested taking him back to RMCH, he said.

"His death surprised me," said his friend Abu Naim Khan, who stayed with Murad at the hostel.

A few days before Murad went home with fever in January, meals at his hostel was stopped and he took meals at Shah Makhdum Hall in that time, he said.

Until yesterday, the RU authorities did not know the cause of Murad's death and even some media reported that he died of dengue infection, quoting them.

"I did not know the cause of his death. But his department chairman and an assistant proctor informed me of his death from dengue," RU Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Sultan-ul Islam told The Daily Star.

However, the RMCH director said Murad was never diagnosed with dengue infection since he was admitted to the hospital.

Murad was buried at his home in Kataskol village yesterday afternoon.