Crisis of doctors takes its toll on child patients
Fifty-four children died at Pabna Medical College Hospital in last one month as the hospital's children's ward, plagued with scanty accommodation and shortage of doctors, struggles to cope with a large number of patients, especially due to rise in cold related diseases recently.
Of the 54 children who died during the last one month, 25 including 11 new born babies, died from January 20 to January 31, said sources at the hospital.
The victims were affected with cold related diseases like pneumonia and septicemia, and birth complexities including low birth weight, they said.
"The number of child patients in Pabna Medical College Hospital has increased due to the cold spell during the last few weeks. Now the 30-bed children's ward has to accommodate over one hundred patients daily while only two doctors are working here,†said Dr Nitish Kumar Kundu, consultant of the children's ward.
He, however, said birth related complexities caused most of the deaths and most the victims are aged from one to 28 days.
“Thirty-four child patients, of them 32 newborn, died here in December last year. In November, 46 children, including 42 new born babies, died," said Md Sohel, statistics assistant of the hospital.
Dr Monwarul Aziz, assistant director of the hospital, said treatment of child patients is hampered as the posts of senior child consultant, medical officer and assistant registrar for the children's ward has remained vacant for long.
“Child related disease is a common matter during the winter. This year the death of new born babies has increased but it is not alarming. We are trying to increase facilities at the children's ward as the number of patients is on the rise," Dr Tahsina Begum, civil surgeon of Pabna.
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