15 kids die of pneumonia

At least 15 children died of pneumonia at the government hospitals in Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban in the last two weeks, doctors at the hospitals said.

"Seven children died of pneumonia at Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital in the last fourteen days," Resident Medical Officer (RMO) at the hospital Dr Ripon Bappi said.

They all were aged between one-month to two years, the RMO said, adding that almost all the beds at the Children Ward of the hospital are filled with minor patients.

Although, they referred the dead children to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for better treatment, their parents couldn't shift them due to financial problem, the doctor said.

Most of the children who have recently been hospitalised are from different remote areas of the hill district, he further added.

Dr Sanjida Afrin, medical officer at Dighinala Health Complex in Khagrachhari, said recently a three-month-old child from a remote village was brought dead to the hospital.

The number of patients, infected with cold and respiratory complications, have increased significantly at the health complex in the last couple of days, she said.

Away in Rangamati, at least six children died of pneumonia and cold-related diseases at Rangamati Sadar Hospital in the last two weeks," RMO of the hospital Showkat Akber Hossain said.

Meanwhile, RMO at Bandarban Sadar Hospital Ziaul Haider said recently an infant, aged around two months, died of pneumonia at the children's ward of the hospital.