- 500 patients being admitted to cholera hospital daily
- Advice not to eat rotten and stale food
In extreme heat, the pressure of people suffering from various water-borne diseases including diarrhea is increasing in the hospitals. Also, patients are rushing to the hospital with jaundice, heat stroke, cold, and fever. Mainly, the elderly and children are more are becoming affected. Of these, the International Center for Diarrheal Research in Mahakhali, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B) or the Cholera Hospital in the capital receives an average of about 500 patients per day. More than 3 thousand patients have been admitted in the last one week. The number of patients in Bangladesh Children's Hospital and Institute has also increased several times, a national daily reported this information based on hospital authorities.
It was known that four to five times more patients are coming in hospitals than at normal times. The number of patients has decreased since the morning, but the number of patients increased as the afternoon progressed. Doctors and health workers are struggling to deal with them.
Doctors said, excessive sweating in summer is causing dehydration in the body. Again, as the air humidity is less than normal, the lips are drying and cracking in the heat. Again the village people are not health conscious. Due to the unhygienic environment, people are suffering from diarrhea and patient pressure is increasing in hospitals. Therefore, they advised to drink more pure water in summer, drink fruit juices, not to eat rotten and outside food, and refrain from going out of the house unless necessary.
Diarrhea patients have been coming to the cholera hospital not only from the capital but also from all over the country due to the intense heat for the past few days. Patients become physically weak and almost unable to walk within hours of the onset of diarrhea. Some are brought here directly and many are brought here by referral from other hospitals. Hospital doctors and nurses are spending busy time. However, no one has died due to diarrhea so far.
According to the statistics of ICDDR, B, 507 patients with diarrhea were admitted on March 28. Then 501 people were admitted on March 29, 545 on March 30, 448 on March 31, 505 on April 1, 498 on April 2, and 205 on last Wednesday (April 3 till 11 am). That is, the total number of patients admitted in the last seven days is 3 thousand 209 people.
Renu Begum came from Manohardi upazila area of Narsingdi. She rushed to the hospital with her 17-month-old baby Ayman. She said, all the patients are getting better, but my baby is not getting better. Vomiting and diarrhea do not stop. He is just crying and not even taking breast milk. The body is getting weaker. He also said that their whole family is very worried about their son.
Ali Hossain came with his two-year-old son from Keraniganj. He said, diarrhea has been happening for two days due to the heat. At first, even after taking medicine from the pharmacy, it did not improve. Later, when he was taken to a local hospital, the doctors there referred him to the cholera hospital. I admitted my son here last night. He also said that there has been some improvement since then.
Another patient Jamal Hossain (60) said, I was admitted on Tuesday night. The water in my area has a lot of dirt and bad smell. We think that drinking that water caused diarrhea.
Shoaib Bin Islam, Assistant Scientist of ICDDR, B, said that the number of patients has increased more than usual due to the unbearable heat of the last few days. In normal time, an average of 250/300 patients are admitted here. But now the average patient admission is over 500. However, a few days ago, the patient's pressure was higher. But if the current temperature continues, the pressure on diarrheal patients in the hospital will increase.
He said, most of the patients we get are dehydrated diarrhea patients. Everyone becomes thirsty because of the heat. Especially, the poor class people who stay outside most of the time. So, many of them drink unsafe water and eat unhealthy food to quench their thirst. He is suffering from diarrhea due to food poisoning. Besides typhoid and waterborne hepatitis, jaundice is also possible. Parents often do not take the matter seriously, especially in case of diarrhea in children. However, the treatment of diarrhea is very simple. There are good treatment facilities for diarrhea everywhere, even in the nearest hospital. And every time there is a thin stool, one meal of saline should be eaten. If this continues, the patient will recover immediately, and there will be no need to bring him to the hospital.
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