Diarrhoea spreads in C'nawabganj town

The district town sees spread of diarrhoea during the last couple of days. 

Over 70 diarrhoea patients, mostly children and women, were admitted to Chapainawabganj Adhunik Sadar Hospital in 24 hours till yesterday noon, hospital sources said, adding that 35 others were admitted there from Friday night to 11:00am yesterday. 

Diarrhoea, a gastrointestinal infection caused by a variety of bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms, generally occurs due to taking of contaminated food or drinking water and spread from the infected people to others due to poor hygiene, said doctors at the hospital.

"Many diarrhoea patients are being treated in the hospital corridor as the 10-bed diarrhoea ward is too inadequate. We are facing problems to deal with the growing number of patients due to manpower shortage," said a senior staff nurse of the hospital. 

Forty to fifty diarrhoea patients also receive treatment at the outdoor section daily, hospital source said. 

Dr Shafiqul Islam, resident medical officer of Adhunik Sadar Hospital, said there is no crisis of oral saline, IV fluid and necessary medicines at the hospital to cope with the diarrhoea affected patients. 

"Most of the people have been attacked with diarrhoea after drinking unsafe water supplied by the municipality while having stale food, eating with unwashed hands, poor hygiene and hot weather add to the situation," he said. 

Most of the patients are from different areas of Chapainawabganj municipality. 

Contacted, Chapainawabganj Mayor Abdul Matin claimed that the municipality authorities are supplying safe drinking water in the town. "Allegation of the hospital authority is baseless. Still we will look into the matter," he said.