Khulna Shishu Hospital has been struggling with rising number of pneumonia and diarrhoea patients, aged between 25 days to five years, from six southern districts due to outbreak of the diseases amid severe cold.
Everyday 25 children are brought to the outdoor unit of the hospital on an average for treatment but the hospital authorities are not being able to provide beds to the patients anymore.
Children from Narail, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Gopalganj, Mongla and different upazilas of Khulna district are being brought to Khulna Shishu Hospital for treatment.
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Md Bellal Hossain, father of one-year old Rabiul Islam, said his son was admitted to the hospital on Monday with diarrhoea but his physical condition remained unchanged.
Meanwhile, Arban, a 14-month-old son of Ashraful Islam of Jashore's Abhaynagar upazila, was admitted to the hospital on December 22 with diarrhoea. His mother said his condition has improved.
Dr Md Nur-e-Alam Siddiqui, Senior Medical Officer of Khulna Shishu Hospital, said children are suffering from diarrhea due to rotavirus and bacterial infection.
“There is no specific medicine for viral diarrhea. If the baby gets dehydrated, he or she should be given saline, breast milk, coconut water and pure drinking water,” said the physician.
After the heavy rains of December 4-6, triggered by the Bay depression,, the temperature started to fall in the southern part of the country. However, the outbreaks of pneumonia and pneumonia have been reported in children in the region since October.
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According to hospital sources, 230 patients were admitted at the hospital with pneumonia in October, 160 in November and 102 till December 22.
On the other hand, 256 patients were admitted with diarrhoea in October, 362 in November and 361 till December 23.
However, last year, 87 patients were hospitalized with pneumonia in October, 115 in November and 71 in December. Besides, 319 patients were admitted to the hospital with diarrhoea in October last year, 401 in November and 618 in December.