In the last 20 days, about 19,000 patients have received treatment while suffering from diarrhoea in the government healthcare centres of the district.
It has been found that in Barisal, Barguna, Pirojpur, and Bhola, the four districts of the division where diarrhoea infection is high, patients have to endure for a while before receiving treatment.
Among them, there is a saline shortage in several upazila health complexes in Barguna district, and patients in Pirojpur are unable to get treatment from the hospital due to a shortage of beds.
Bhola Hospital is also facing a shortage of beds.
ASM Ahsan Kabir, statistician of the divisional office of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said that 441 patients with diarrhoea were admitted to the hospital within 24 hours until Saturday night. Among them are 37 people in Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, 114 people in other government hospitals in Barishal district, 89 people in Bhola, 91 people in Pirojpur, and 147 people in Barguna.
Within the division, information of the hospitalization of diarrhoea patients in Jhalakathi and Patuakhali is not yet available. Among them, 436 have recovered and returned home. From April 1 to April 20, a total of 18,837 patients with diarrhoea were admitted to the hospital in those four districts of the division, he added.
Out of this, 6,639 people are most affected in Bhola. After that, there were 5,260 people in Barisal, 3,477 people in Barguna, and 3,461 people in Pirojpur.
Apart from this, 1,403 patients with diarrhoea have been treated in Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in these 20 days.
A total of 18,253 people have recovered and returned home.
After visiting Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, it was seen that diarrhoea patients are admitted to different floors of the medicine department.
Asif, a resident of Babuganj Upazila’s Dehergoti Union, said, I came here for treatment, and it seems that I got sicker. Having to live in an unsanitary environment on the hospital floor.
Bhola civil surgeon KM Shafikuzzaman said: “Barisal division is a riverine region. Due to this, the prevalence of waterborne diseases is high in this region.
“Every year, the number of patients suffering from diarrhoea and pneumonia increases in Bhola. Although we have a manpower crisis, there is no saline crisis,” he added.
Dr Pradeep Chandra Mandal said: “There was a saline crisis in Betagi upazila within the district. But we solved it quickly. Hospitals are instructed to treat diarrhoea patients quickly and with the utmost care.”
Dr Mizanur Rahman, civil surgeon of Pirojpur said: “People get dehydrated in the heat. Because of this, the prevalence of diarrhoea has increased. There is no shortage of saline in Pirojpur.
“But the main hospital has 100 beds. That is why many patients are getting treatment on the balcony or the floor,” he added.
Barishal Divisional Health Director Dr Shyamal Krishna Mandal said there is no news of any deaths due to diarrhoea in the division so far. Pre-preparation means providing adequate saline to allow patients to be treated quickly. The division currently has 17,923 pieces of IV saline in stock.
The divisional health director said, instructions have been given to all the government hospitals for prompt treatment of diarrhoea sufferers. If the number of patients increases, separate units will be arranged for treatment.