4 cold-affected kids die at Habiganj hospital

Sreemangal in the district saw the country's lowest temperature 9.3 degrees Celsius yesterday morning while cold-related diseases including pneumonia and diarrhoea see a rise with the fall of temperature in the north-eastern region.

Four children died at Habiganj Sadar Hospital due to cold related diseases on Saturday, hospital sources said.

“The number of child patients with pneumonia and diarrhoea is on the rise due to change of season and fluctuation of temperature during day and night. It is very difficult for us to serve the increasing number of patients,” said Dr Kaisar Rahman of Habiganj Sadar Hospital.

At present around 100 patients are receiving treatment at the 24-bed capacity children's ward at Habiganj Sadar Hospital.

Besides, a large number of cold-affected patients are admitted to upazila health complexes and different clinics in the district while 250 to 300 patients receive treatment at the outdoors of the treatment centres every day.

During a visit to the hospital on Sunday, this correspondent saw many child patients lying on the floor of the children's ward and on veranda.

“I got my pneumonia-affected 14-month-old son admitted to the hospital on Friday morning. We have to stay on the floor due to shortage of space in the children's ward,” said Mina Begum of Rampur village under Sadar upazila.

Selina Begum of Katalia village under Sadar upazila, who took her 10-month-old baby to the hospital with symptoms of pneumonia and diarrhoea on Wednesday, is staying on a space beside the staircase.