Pabna hospital struggles to cope with child patients

Simran, 8, has been undergoing treatment at the 250-bed Pabna Medical College Hospital for the last six days after being diagnosed with pneumonia.

However, with no room in the children's ward, the girl is being treated in the hospital's corridor.

"When I took my daughter to the hospital, even the floor of the child ward was filled with patients. Even six days later, I am yet to get accommodation for my daughter in the ward," said Sagor Hossain, Simran's father.

Hazera, another child, was admitted on Sunday morning with vomiting, but she could not get accommodation even in the hospital's corridor.

A total of 159 child patients are currently undergoing treatment against 34 beds in the child ward, said Md Sohel Hossain, a statistics officer of the hospital.

Over 100 patients are being treated in the ward, while the rest are in the corridor and other available spaces, including the ENT ward.

In total, 543 patients are being treated against the available 250 beds in the hospital till Sunday, Sohel said. Almost 30 percent of the patients are children, he added.

Moreover, a total of 2,030 patients came for treatment in the hospital last week, including 384 child patients, said hospital sources.

Dr Md Rafikul Hassan, assistant director of the hospital, noted that children are most vulnerable to falling ill in the ongoing hot spell.

"Most of the children were diagnosed with diarrhoea, pneumonia, and other heat-related complications. The number of child patients has been increasing every day as the heat wave continues," he said.

"However, we have a sufficient stock of medicines and saline, so we are trying our best to provide treatment to all of them despite the constraints," Dr Rafikul added.

According to Ishwardi Meteorological Office, the highest temperature in Ishwardi and adjoining areas was 42 degrees Celsius on Sunday, while it was 40.6 degrees yesterday.

Contacted, Dr Shahidulla Dewan, civil surgeon of Pabna, advised all to drink plenty, bathe regularly, and not venture outside unnecessarily.