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An average of 20 patients are getting admitted daily with diarrhoea, an official says
Published : 27 Apr 2024, 06:23 PM
A heatwave is sweeping over the border district of Sherpur. Public life has grown miserable due to the baking sun and unbearable temperatures. At the same time, heat-related diseases have become more prevalent in the district.
The patients suffering from various diseases such as fever, diarrhoea, pneumonia, typhoid and heat stroke are crowding hospitals. However, most of the patients admitted to the Sherpur 250 bed District Sadar Hospital with heat-related diseases are suffering from diarrhoea.
“The number of patients with diarrhoea and other heat-related diseases has begun to rise at the hospital. Many patients are crowding the outdoor department and among them, an average of 20 people are getting admitted to the hospital daily with diarrhoea,” said Khairul Kabir Suman, resident surgeon of the hospital.
“The diarrhoea ward of the hospital serves on average 40 to 45 patients every day. A total of 42 patients were receiving treatment in the ward on Saturday. This is a little higher than usual.”
Many patients were found lying on the floor due to a lack of sufficient beds in the hospital.
Children and elderly people were the most common patients of heat-related diseases. Most of the hospitalised are children, Suman said.
However, the condition of the hospital is becoming unhygienic due to the excess number of patients. The families and relatives of patients have also expressed disappointment over various issues tied to mismanagement.
“There is no fan in the room for children in the hospital’s diarrhoea ward. Dirty garbage was dumped outside the ward and washrooms are in dire condition. There is no way to leave a child here,” said Shikha Begum, mother of an 11-month-old hospitalised with diarrhoea from Betmari village in the Sadar Upazila.
“I have been receiving treatment for diarrhoea for two days. I am on the floor as I did not get a bed. My condition has not improved yet,” said Riaz Ali, a resident of Tirchha village in the same Upazila.
Mahfuza Begum, the grandmother of another 11-month-old child from Sherpur’s Kusumhati area, also expressed her frustration over the filthy condition of the diarrhoea ward.
Shirina and Sanowara, two women from Bhayadanga Uttar village in Sreebardi Upazila who gave single names, said, “We are suffering greatly at the diarrhoea ward. We brought our one-year-old Child Abdullah to the hospital at 9pm on Friday. There is no fan in the room, which is not clean at all.”
Other patients and parents of children said there is a dustbin next to the diarrhoea ward which is causing a foul smell. The patients are suffering as the ward, including its washroom, is tainted and lacks water and fans.
Speaking of the agonies suffered by people with hospitalised children, they allege the ward is not safe for children at all.
Sherpur District Sadar Hospital Supervisor Jasim Uddin said the Sherpur Municipality is responsible for cleaning the garbage. The municipality cleans the waste twice and sometimes three times a week. They cannot clean daily due to their limitations.
“The mayor of the municipality has been told to take a look at the matter. The current MP has also been informed of the situation.”
Regarding various problems in the diarrhoea ward, he said, “We are trying to sort out the issues as soon as possible.”
When asked about the dustbin, Sherpur Municipality Mayor Golam Kibria Liton said, “Currently, we are removing waste from the hospital three times a week. We have discussed the situation and are trying to make it four times a week.”
A location has been fixed for a waste management plant for the district Sadar hospital. The problem will be solved once the plan is implemented, authorities said.
The district does not have a weather office, which means daytime temperatures are not recorded. However, the sun has been shining brightly since the morning and many people have not dared leave home due to the scorching heat.
