Public life in the north has been disrupted in the winter. Particularly in the areas of Teesta, Ghaghat, Dudhkumar, Jamuneshwari and Karatoya rivers of Rangpur region, the suffering has increased due to winter. Low-income workers are struggling to make ends meet in the winter. Besides, these families are trying to control the winter by lighting fires in the straw huts as they cannot afford to run their daily households and buy winter clothes. Outbreaks of various diseases including cold diarrhea, pneumonia and shortness of breath have been reported due to the increase in the severity of winter.
It is learned that the number of admissions in the children's ward of Rangpur Medical College Hospital is increasing due to various diseases caused by cold. The number of diarrhea patients is higher among the children who come to the hospital. There are also children suffering from shortness of breath and pneumonia. As many as 160 people were admitted in the two wards of the children's department till Monday afternoon against 60 beds. As a result, many children have to be treated on the hospital floor and lobby.
The children's ward number 9 on the third floor of the hospital had 135 children as opposed to 40 beds. As a result, up to three patients have to be kept in the beds. There are 10 beds for diarrhea patients. At present there are 15 beds as against eight beds as two beds are broken. However, although there is a rule to keep separate, less and mild diarrhea patients are forced to be kept in other beds.
Shikhili Khatun, a senior staff nurse in charge of the ward, said the number of children suffering from diarrhea was increasing. But since there are less beds in certain diarrhea rooms, arrangements have been made to keep them elsewhere. At present, 15 children are admitted in the diarrhea ward, she said, adding that 31 people were admitted with diarrhea in five days from December 28 to 31.
Sunil Tudu, a resident of Beltali village in Ghoraghat upazila of Dinajpur, admitted his five-month-old son to the children's ward last Wednesday. Aleya Begum, a mother from Aditmari area of Lalmonirhat, who’s child was admitted to the children's ward, said that the child had symptoms of pneumonia in the last few days. She is also having difficulty breathing. The child was admitted to the hospital last Thursday.
Rangpur Medical College Hospital, Registrar of Pediatrics. Fakhrul Alam confirmed that the number of children suffering from diarrhea has increased. Outbreaks appear to be exacerbated during this time, he said. However, due to the cold, children are currently suffering from various diseases, including diarrhea.
The Director of the hospital Rezaul Karim said that the intensity of winter has increased in Rangpur region. The number of patients admitted to the hospital due to cold-related diseases is also increasing. Among them, children and elderly people are more. Noting that cold-related diseases, especially pneumonia, cold diarrhea, shortness of breath and fever are on the rise, he said it was important to provide warm clothes to protect children from these diseases. Mothers should take care that their children do not get cold in any way.