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Published : 17 Apr 2026, 10:52 PM
Rafiqul Islam paced the open grounds outside Cumilla Medical College Hospital (COMCH), cradling his eight-month-old grandson, identified only as Zidan, with a cannula strapped to his tiny arm.
Inside, the heat was suffocating. It was only outside that infant could catch a breath of air.
Zidan is among dozens of children admitted with measles symptoms at the hospital, where a massive spike in infections has pushed the facility far beyond its breaking point.
With no beds available, the infant was assigned a spot on the veranda in front of the isolation unit -- a space devoid of fans or windows, where hundreds of people brush past his makeshift bed every hour.
"There is nothing we can do," Rafiqul said, visibly exhausted.
"The hospital told us we have to stay on the veranda if we want treatment. It’s scorching hot, and with the crowds, my grandson is getting sicker. He cries constantly because of the itchiness and the heat. How long can you keep a child calm with just a hand-held fan?"
The dire conditions are forcing some parents to choose between medical care and basic dignity.
Fatema Akter, who travelled from Debidwar with her two-year-old daughter, was seen packing her bags on Thursday afternoon – apparently days before her scheduled discharge.
They had been staying on the floor of the isolation unit.
"The dust, the constant walking by of strangers, and the unbearable heat were making her weaker," Fatema said.
"I’d rather take her home than watch her suffer in this environment."
The scene inside the hospital reflects a burgeoning public health crisis.
Patients have occupied every available inch of space, spreading mats in corridors, stairwells, and even in front of public toilets on the second floor.
While wards have ceiling fans, those relegated to the "floor-beds" and verandas rely entirely on hand fans.
Load-shedding has rendered charger fans unreliable, leaving parents to fan their feverish children manually for hours.
Medical professionals are deeply concerned.
Meah Monjur Ahmed, head of the Paediatric Department, noted that the hospital is treating three times its capacity.
"We have 42 beds across three rooms in the isolation unit, but we currently have 94 patients," Ahmed said.
"We have increased the total paediatric beds from 54 to 126 to cope with the surge, but it is still not enough. My doctors and nurses are working at their absolute limit."
The crisis is compounded by a total lack of specialised facilities.
Despite four children recently dying from measles-related complications in the district -- one at this hospital and three others while undergoing treatment in Dhaka -- COMCH still lacks a dedicated paediatric ICU (PICU).
For children struggling to breathe, the hospital relies on oxygen generators acquired during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The supply is so low that up to five children must wait their turn to share a single generator.
Hospital Director Masud Parvez acknowledged the helplessness of the administration regarding the shortage of beds and ICU facilities.
"We are trying our level best with the resources we have," he said.
