As the number of patients with various illnesses including stomach trouble, cold, fever, cough, diarrhoea, pneumonia, dehydration, respiratory trouble and heat stroke caused by extreme hot spell keeps surging, country’s hospitals and clinics find themselves in a major crisis, struggling to provide treatment to patients across the country.
Most of the hospitals and clinics are overcrowded and cannot cope with the ever increasing number of patients.
Many patients arriving in the capital Dhaka and other metropolitan cities from different districts and rural areas are suffering as they are denied admission to hospitals already stretched to their limits. The patients and their relatives are left with no choice but to return home.
The hospital authorities are reporting that with the arrival of summer, the number of patients caused by extreme hot spell in the capital Dhaka, other metropolitan cities, district towns and upazila headquarters are on the sharp rise. Very severe heatwave is sweeping the north and north-eastern districts including Pabna, Chuadanga Rajshahi, Tangail, Jashore, magura and Kushtia.
Most of the hospitals and
clinics are overcrowded and
cannot cope with the over
increasing number of patients
So, the people of the districts which have been reeling under a severe heatwave for the past one week with temperature fluctuating between 42 to 43 degrees Celsius are facing the worst situation and many of them are falling sick every day. According to print and electronic media, many patients were seen receiving treatment lying on the floor for lack of beds in hospitals of those districts.
The number of elderly patients and children is high. Health and Family Welfare Minister Professor Dr Samanta Lal Sen directed the authorities concerned of the public hospitals to remain ready for extending healthcare services to people as the country is under the grip of severe heatwave.
Elderly people and children must stay indoors to avoid heatstroke and other heatwave related complications. Apart from these, people in both urban and rural areas must drink safe water and avoid roadside food to keep them protected from disease.
Our children are particularly prone to weather change as a little fluctuation in temperature can cause several problems in their system leading to fever, cough, dehydration and diarrhoea. As heat wave continues to sweep the country, it may leave the risks of many waterborne diseases like diarrhoea and dysentery.
All should boil their drinking water, wash their hands with soap before and after they take food, wash their hands after using toilet, should not put their trash here and there as preventive measures against diarrhoea. We hope, all the government hospitals and upazila health complexes will follow the minister’s order and remain stand by the patients during this tough weather.