The number of measles patients in Moulvibazar is rising at an alarming rate, alongside a surge in fever, cold, cough, pneumonia, diarrhoea and breathing-related illnesses. Hospitals across the district are struggling to accommodate the growing number of patients.
With no beds available, many patients are being treated on hospital floors, causing severe hardship for patients and their attendants.
According to district health department data, 1,832 patients with measles symptoms have been admitted to hospitals in Moulvibazar so far. Fifteen children have died from the disease.
Besides the district headquarters hospital, patients are receiving treatment at various upazila health complexes and clinics.
Some 50 patients with measles symptoms were admitted to the 250-bed Moulvibazar General Hospital’s isolation ward recently. Twenty of them were adults, while the rest were children.
The hospital’s children’s ward had 56 patients, the child ward 21, medicine ward 89, diarrhoea ward 19 and dengue ward two. Almost every ward was treating more patients than its designated capacity.
Meanwhile, 1,200-1,300 people receive outpatient services at the hospital every day. A total of 34 dengue patients have been reported across the district.
Dr Pranab Kanti Das, deputy superintendent of the 250-bed Moulvibazar General Hospital, said hundreds of new patients were being admitted every day despite the hospital’s limited capacity.
“With patients several times higher than our capacity, we are having to work under considerable pressure to provide the required services,” he said.
Moulvibazar Civil Surgeon Dr Mamunur Rahman said the districtwide vaccination programme had been intensified to contain the measles outbreak.
Starting September 26, 21,344 children in the district will receive measles vaccines under the second phase of a nationwide campaign.
The vaccination programme will continue until the outbreak and number of patients decline significantly, the civil surgeon said.
