Highest number of diarrhoea patients in icddr,b in 60 years

The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) Hospital in Mohakhali has been treating around 1,200 diarrhoea patients daily for the last three days, most of whom are from the capital's Jatrabari, Shonir Akhra, Kadamtali, Dakshinkhan and Uttara area. 

It is the highest number of patients admitted daily to the hospital in 60 years, according to icddr,b communication department sources.

As many as 9,385 diarrhoea patients have been admitted to the hospital since 16 March, including 1,233 on Wednesday, and 95% of them are adult males. However, 80% of patients have recovered and returned home within 24 hours.

As the number of patients exceeded that of beds, icddr,b authorities have arranged tents to accommodate patients. A new tent has been set up since there is no sign of easing the rush of patients.

Apart from the areas mentioned earlier, patients are also coming from Mohammadpur, Badda and Mirpur area, said icddr,b doctors adding that there might have been issues with water in those areas. They have suggested that everyone drinks boiled water.

Prime Minister's personal physician Dr ABM Abdullah said that following a rise in the mercury and reopening of educational institutes, many people are having various types of sharbat, sugar cane juice and other street foods. Besides, many do not drink boiled water at home. 

At home too, stale foods should be avoided to counter diarrhoea. Many keep food outside for a long time before putting it in a refrigerator, which is not a healthy practice, he added. 

"A diarrhoea patient must have saline, green coconut water and other liquid to avoid dehydration which may lead to complications in kidney and other organs. None should have any medicine without consulting a medicine specialist," said Dr ABM Abdullah.

Only 5% of the patients hospitalised in Dhaka are children. However, many children are being hospitalised outside Dhaka with diarrhoea, pneumonia and other diseases, for example, patients are on the rise at Khulna Shishu Hospital and the authorities are struggling to handle the rush.     

Previously, the highest daily hospitalisation in icddr,b was 1,047 with a daily average of 1,000 at the time of the diarrhoea outbreak in 2018, according to icddr,b data. Before that, the number of patients remained below 1,000 in the diarrhoea outbreak during the flood in 2007. 

Professor Dr Nazmul Islam, Director (Disease Control), Directorate General of Health Services, told TBS that the incidence of diarrhoea intensifies in summer. Hospitals are equipped with required saline, cholera detection kits and other medicines and prepared to handle the rising number of patients. 

"Personal precautions are essential to prevent diarrhoea," he added.