Staff Correspondent
Doctors and nurses of almost all the hospitals of the country are working round the clock to tackle the ongoing dengue outbreak that has inflicted the biggest blow on public health sector since the independence.
Despite shortage of workforce, the country’s doctors and nurses are trying heart and soul to keep the number of patients low after dengue infection spread in all 64 districts of the country in the last week.
The number of dengue infection cases is increasing every day adding hundreds more to the existing number of patients while physicians and nurses are struggling to cope with treatment. The administration of most of the public and private hospitals are also on their toes.
There are allegations that most of the hospitals dealing with dengue patients lack an adequate number of physicians and nurses. On top of that, the constant and gradual increasing number of dengue patients is keeping the doctors under tremendous pressure. From children of all ages, including adolescents, men-women and elderly, all are suffering from dengue, often in crowded hospital wards.
It is because of this constant service that the doctors and nurses are providing round the clock that many physicians are becoming exhausted. In the past month, 10 doctors and 20 nurses, including 30 others were hospitalized to Mugada Medical College and Hospital in the capital. Of these, two nurses are still currently undergoing medical treatment at the hospital, authorities say.
Meanwhile, the sufferings of dengue patients know no bounds. It is widely reported that a section of private hospitals is doing brisk business by referring dengue patients to highly costly intensive care units (ICUs).
Allegations from various public hospitals say that some doctors are engaged in such alleged business sending patients to ICUs located in private hospitals giving the excuse of unavailability of seats in the public hospitals.
The dengue situation in the country is now out of control, say experts. The prevalence of dengue fever continues to rise as effective medicines are not being used to control mosquito menace. In the last 24 hours, 2348 people have been admitted to various hospitals in the country.
The number of people with dengue fever this year has risen to 29,912. And, in one day 8 people have died due to dengue including an expatriate from Italy.
To ensure medical care in this condition, initiatives have been taken to increase the ICU beds at Dhaka Medical College Hospital to 50. The Health Department has directed the government-private hospital helpdesks to be open on the Eid-ul-Azha holidays. The decision was made at a regular meeting held at the Health Department on Tuesday to tackle the outbreak of dengue fever.
Dengue patients at the district and upazila level should be treated locally according to the National Guide Line on Dengue Management. Besides, a decision has been made regarding dos and don’ts for people leaving Dhaka for Eid holidays. It will be notified to everyone through SMS by BTRC.
