Pneumonia, Cold-Related Diseases
Over 600 kids treated at Narail hospital in a week
Mothers with their children affected with pneumonia and other cold-related diseases throng the children's ward of Narail Sadar Hospital as over 600 children with similar problems came to the hospital during the last one week.Photo: STAR
Pneumonia and other cold-related diseases are taking its toll in the district as over 600 children taken to hospital in the last one week. Downpour for last two weeks, unhygienic living condition and season change were seen as the main reasons behind the outbreak of the diseases. While visiting the children's ward at Narail Sadar Hospital yesterday, this correspondent found 85 pneumonia affected children admitted there although it had only 20 beds. The hospital was treating 3-4 affected children in each bed, while they sent the rest to other wards. Their mothers were seen sitting or sleeping in turns or standing all the night at or around the wards. Afroza Parvin, in charge of child ward, said in the last seven days, about 350 children affected with pneumonia and other cold-related diseases were admitted to the ward. As per hospital record, an additional 312 were treated at the hospital outdoor and many children were transferred to Jessore and Khulna medical college hospitals during the period. Kalpona Biswas, 23, mother of a pneumonia affected child told this correspondent that there were four children at bed 11. She said she could sleep for only an hour the previous night as she had to leave the bed for others to take rest. Nurjahan Begum, 32, who took shelter with her five-month-old baby at the ward corridor, said her son was suffering from fever and respiratory problems. As there is no bed or space on the floor at the children's ward, she was given accommodation in the corridor. Dr. Anita Saha, Paediatric Consultant, said children affected with pneumonia and other cold-related diseases need special care with adequate air, clean bed and controlled temperature. However, the overcrowded children's ward can hardly provide such facilities, she lamented. Despite all, we are trying our best to treat the patients, she said.
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