A woman named Tanjila Khatun had travelled from Kolaroa in Satkhira to Dhaka seeking treatment for a spinal condition. She was staying at her daughter’s home in Basila area of Mohammadpur with her three-year-old son, Tafsin.
Her son Tafsin came down with dengue fever there on 27 June. As his platelet count dropped, Tafsin was admitted to the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute on 30 June. Now, putting her own treatment aside, Tanjila is spending her days by her son’s hospital bed.
While speaking to Tanjila she revealed that she has already spent over Tk 30,000 on Tafsin’s treatment, including a daily bed fee of Tk 700, diagnostic tests, and medicines. Tafsin’s father works at a fish market and the family is struggling to cope with the growing medical expenses.
Like Tafsin, many patients with dengue from both Dhaka and outside the capital are being admitted to various hospitals across the city every day. In addition to sufferings of the patients, families are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the financial burden of treatment.
Such situations were found while speaking to patients and their relatives during a visit to the Mugda Medical College Hospital and Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute on Saturday.
According to Saturday’s data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), as many as 294 new dengue patients were admitted to hospitals across the country in the last 24 hours. Barguna recorded the highest number of admissions with 66 cases.
As of Saturday, a total of 11,954 dengue patients have been hospitalised this year, with 45 confirmed deaths. An analysis of government data shows that 44 per cent of all dengue cases have been reported in the Barishal division.
Between 1 January and 5 July this year, a total of 2,635 dengue patients have been admitted to both public and private hospitals in Dhaka alone. Of them, 24 have died from the infection.
Mugda Medical College Hospital
While visiting the Mugda Medical College Hospital on Saturday morning it was found that dengue patients were being treated on the eighth and eleventh floors of the hospital.
A total of 42 dengue patients are receiving treatment at the hospital. Of them, 12 children were being treated at the paediatric ward on eighth floor while, 30 adult both male and female were being treated at the general ward on eleventh floor.
Altogether, a total of 54 patients were noticed to receive treatment in those two wards.
Between 1 January and 5 July this year, a total of 2,635 dengue patients have been admitted to both public and private hospitals in Dhaka alone. Of them, 24 have died from the infection.
According to DGHS data, a total of 526 dengue patients have been admitted to Mugda Medical College Hospital from the start of this year to 5 July. That figure shows 226 more admission than the number of admissions during the same period last year. So far, five dengue-related deaths have been recorded at the hospital this year.
When spoken to patients admitted on the eleventh floor of the hospital as well as their family members it was found that most of the admitted dengue patients are residents of Dhaka. However, patients coming outside of the capital are also being treated at the hospital.
One such patient is Rimi, a 16-year-old girl from Daudkandi upazila in Cumilla. She has been hospitalised there for nine days. Her mother, Julia Begum, said her daughter’s condition is critical and there’s fluid accumulated in her abdomen. Despite receiving blood transfusions, her platelet count continues to drop as they struggle to afford the cost of treatment.
Abdul Hamid, a farmer from Barguna, has brought his 15-year-old son named Ferdous to Mugda Medical College Hospital for treatment. Ferdous, who is also battling thalassemia, needs regular blood transfusions. In addition to the cost of treatment, arranging regular blood transfusions has also become a serious challenge for them.
Dengue-affected children are being treated on 12 beds positioned on one side of the main staircase on the eighth floor. On the other side are the beds of children suffering from pneumonia, diarrhoea, respiratory problems, and other conditions. Yet, many of the beds in the dengue ward were seen to have their mosquito nets left open.
Despite repeated attempts to contact Mugda Medical College Hospital authorities for an official statement on this issue no one was willing to comment.
Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute
While visiting the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute Saturday afternoon, it was found that the hospital authorities have established a dedicated cell specifically for dengue patients. Children with dengue who require constant monitoring are being treated in this unit.
Physicians and nurses on duty at the cell are providing necessary medical attention including platelet test and saline administration. Patients housed outside the dedicated cell are also being given essential care while many in the outpatient department are receiving treatment for fever at the hospital.
Physicians noted that dengue cases are constantly rising. Alongside adults, children are being infected as well. The number of patients at the Shishu hospital is also growing every day. They emphasised the need to be more aware about dengue warning that otherwise the situation could take a far more terrible shape in the coming days.
At that time, Sultana Parvin from Saltha upazila in Faridpur spoke to Prothom Alo. She said her three-year-old son named Sajid had developed a high fever and was first admitted to Faridpur Sadar Hospital. Then he tested positive for dengue.
As the child suffered a sudden drop in platelet count, they came to Dhaka for better treatment. Although his platelet count has improved, he’s still not out of danger. She mentioned that she has already spent over Tk 50,000 on her child’s treatment, mostly on tests and medicines that are suggested every day. As a farming family, managing these expenses has been extremely difficult, she added.
According to the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute records, a total of 95 children with dengue have been admitted to the hospital so far this year. Of them, maximum 41 children received treatment at the hospital in the month of June while only one child has died of dengue at the hospital this year.
In comparison, only five children were treated for dengue at the hospital in June of last year. Meanwhile, as many as 11 children have already been admitted to the hospital with dengue just in the first five days of July this year.
Physicians noted that dengue cases are constantly rising. Alongside adults, children are being infected as well. They emphasised the need to be more aware about dengue warning that otherwise the situation could take a far more terrible shape in the coming days.
One child is currently receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Last year, the hospital treated 806 children for dengue.
Dedicated dengue cell established
As the number of dengue cases continues to rise, the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute has once again opened a dedicated cell for treating children infected with dengue, just like last year.
Hospital authorities say that more than 50 beds were allocated for children in the dengue cell last year. So far this year, seven beds have been arranged there, five of which are paid and two are free of charge. Patients have to pay a daily rent of Tk 700 for a bed. If the number of patients increases, more beds will be added.
Assistant Professor Md Zafar Iqbal, the physician in charge of the dengue cell at the Shishu hospital, told Prothom Alo, “Every day, more children are arriving with dengue infection. As the days pass, the number of patients is increasing.”
“We suspect the situation could become critical in the coming days. We are keeping the children under constant monitoring. Of those admitted, 95 per cent are recovering well. However, dengue patients require extensive testing, and the high cost of medicines means treatment expenses are relatively high for families,” he added.