Cold takes heavy toll on Nilphamari children
One killed, hundreds affected in last 10 days
Mothers with babies in their laps keep standing in the corridor of Nilphamari Sadar Hospital as the health centre cannot provide beds for their children affected by pneumonia and other cold-related diseases.Photo: STAR
With the onset of the winter season, children in the district are getting attacked by pneumonia and other cold-related diseases. A boy died of pneumonia at Nilphamari Sadar Hospital while at least 1200 have been affected with it and other cold-related diseases in the last ten days. As the children's ward is not equipped with sufficient beds, the hospital authorities are providing accommodation for 3-4 affected children in each bed, leaving their mothers either to sleep in turns or sit by bedsides or keep standing all the night. Staff nurse Ayesa Siddika of the children's ward said, a seven-day-old child, Zahur Ali, son of Dablu Mia of Araji Kochiar village in Sadar upazila died of pneumonia on the night of October 23. In the last ten days, 642 children affected with pneumonia and other cold- related diseases were admitted to the children's ward of the 100-bed Sadar Hospital, she added. As per hospital record, an additional 578 children attacked by pneumonia were treated at the hospital outdoor during the period. While visiting the children's ward yesterday, this correspondent found that 77 pneumonia affected children had been admitted to the ward though it is equipped with only 12 beds. Ruma Akhtar, 20, mother of a pneumonia affected child at bed No 6, told the correspondent that there were four children on the bed. She also said that she had slept only an hour the previous night as she had to leave the bed for others to sleep. As accommodation arrangements are not enough at the hospital, the rest of the affected children and their mothers were given a blanket each to make beds on the floor or corridor. The situation in all the six upazilas of the district is frustrating as there is no children's ward at any of the upazila health complexes. Doctors at these hospitals are referring the serious patients to the district hospital and the rest are given treatment in female wards. Rabeya Begum, 30, who has taken shelter with her six-month-old son at ward corridor, said her son is suffering from fever and respiratory problems. As there is no bed or space on the floor in the children's ward of the district hospital, she was given accommodation in the corridor. Dr Enamul Haque, senior paediatric consultant at the hospital, said children affected with pneumonia and other cold-related diseases need special care with adequate ventilation, bed and temperature control system. As 80 percent of the admitted children are suffering from pneumonia, the overcrowded children's ward has led to improper ventilation and temperature control, he added.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments