Dengue hospitalisation rising

Infographic: TBS

Bangladesh Shishu Hospital & Institute is struggling to cope with an increasing number of dengue patients, despite the expansion of 12-bed arrangements allocated for dengue cases in the hospital to 50 beds in September, when more dengue patients started to seek hospitalisation.

Currently, 77 dengue patients are admitted at the children's hospital against 50 beds. The struggle is just the same in other hospitals, which are also seeing increased hospitalisation for dengue cases.

The health secretary acknowledged the bed shortage for dengue patients, while the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has called for mosquito control and raids on dengue hotspots.

Professor Dr Jahangir Alam, director of Bangladesh Institute of Child Health and Dhaka Shishu Hospital, told The Business Standard, "We are forced to admit patients outside the dengue cell. Last month, 253 people were admitted with dengue in our hospital. In October, so far, more than 200 dengue patients were admitted."

He feared the pressure of dengue patients is likely to increase.

Brigadier General Nazmul Haque, director of Dhaka Medical College, told The Business Standard, "The number of dengue patients in the hospital has doubled this week compared to the last two weeks. Currently, we have 163 dengue patients admitted in our hospital, including 30 children. The increase in dengue patients is alarming."

He also said, "We are not yet struggling to provide services. But normal services are being interrupted due to the flow of dengue patients depriving other patients."

Brig Gen Nazmul Haque added that their hospital is ready to treat dengue and if patients' pressure increases further, they will be moved to a separate unit.

Brig Gen Kazi Rashid-un-Nabi, director, Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital, said, "On average more than 40 dengue patients are admitted to our hospital every day. Currently, 129 dengue patients are admitted. Of them 17 are children in 15 beds for child dengue patients."

He also said that about 70% of dengue patients coming to the hospital are from Keraniganj area and the rest from Kamrangirchar.

Focusing on killing mosquitoes in those areas will help reduce the number of dengue patients, he observed.

There are currently 3,004 dengue patients hospitalised across the country.

Health Services Division Secretary Dr Muhammad Anowar Hossain Howlader said yesterday that dengue patients are coming in but there is no space in the hospitals to admit them.

"Dengue is breaking records almost every day. Pressure is increasing in hospitals. In particular, there are no beds allocated for dengue patients in any government hospital in the capital. Even so, many patients are coming every day," he said during a meeting on prevention and control of Aedes mosquito-borne dengue organised at the Directorate General of Health.

He said that none of the beds are vacant in Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital and the specialised hospitals.

"But we cannot send patients back. For this, separate dengue units should be started in hospitals. Sufficient fluids should be provided. If necessary, the use of mosquito nets should be made mandatory in every ward. If the patient does not bring a mosquito net, then the hospital will have to arrange it," he added.

The health secretary said that the department has told city corporations to quickly arrange operations in the hotspots.

In response to a question, DGHS Director General (Health) Professor Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam said that in areas, such as Mirpur, which is one of the hotspots of dengue, patients will be treated in the dedicated hospitals for Covid, including Mirpur Lalkuthi and Mahanagar Hospital.

Dengue deaths are increasing

According to the DGHS, in the last 24 hours, 857 people have been hospitalised due to dengue while two have died. Five people died of dengue the previous day.

So far, 96 people have died of dengue this year. Among them, 41 have died in October so far.

This year doctors have found that most dengue patients are infected with dengue 1, 3 and 4 serotypes. The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) said, dengue deaths are high due to infections from multiple serotypes.

So far, 64% of dengue deaths have happened within three days of hospitalisation, said the DGHS.

Dr Ahmedul Kabir, medicine specialist and additional director general of DGHS, said, "Due to Dengue 4 serotype, patients are going into shock quickly. Fluid management is essential in the treatment of dengue patients. Dengue tests should be done only if there is fever and more liquid food should be taken. If the pressure drops or any dangerous symptoms appear, you should go to the hospital immediately." ***