KMCH struggles to cope with dengue patients

Khulna is witnessing a surge in the number of dengue patients every passing day.

Now, Khulna Medical College Hospital is grappling with the surge of dengue patients getting admitted.

The hospital currently has 145 dengue patients being treated, up from an average of 80-100 patients last week.

However, KMCH authority has not appointed any specialist doctor to treat these patients and there is no separate ward for them.

Visiting the hospital recently, this correspondent observed that dengue patients were being treated across six different units in the Medical Ward. Amid an acute shortage of beds, many patients are being treated on the floors.

Some patients and their relatives also complained that they are being compelled to buy medicines themselves.

Photo: Star

Lovely Khatun, a local, recently went to Dhaka for a recruitment test, and fell ill. After seeking treatment at Islamia Hospital in Motijheel, she was diagnosed with dengue. Lovely then returned to Khulna and was admitted to KMCH last Friday. However, a shortage of beds has left her receiving treatment on the floor.

Lovely said although her platelet count has dropped to 42,000, the hospital has not been providing medication and saline, so she had to purchase those herself.

Halima Begum, another patient, was laying there without a mosquito net. "It is very hot, but there is no fan here, so I removed the net," she said.

"My oxygen level and hemoglobin have been dropping since yesterday. The hospital hardly provided any medicine. I have spent Tk 3,700 already for medicines and tests,'' she alleged.

According to KMCH sources, patients diagnosed with dengue or dengue symptoms have been coming from across the city, different upazilas and neighbouring districts.

This year, 850 dengue patients have so far been treated in the hospital, while 13 died, the sources added.

Dr Suhash Ranjan Halder, focal person (dengue) at KMCH, said dengue patients were being kept separately, but pressure of incoming patients left them struggling to isolate them from others.

"We instructed to keep them inside mosquito nets, but some patients and attendants have not been listening," he added.

Dr Muhammad Nurul Islam, deputy director of KMCH, said they are working to prepare a separate ward for dengue patients if the number increases further.

"There are some 1,600-1,700 patients being treated against the available 500 beds. As such, there is not enough medicine for all. However, we are providing free medicine to dengue patients as much as possible," he added.