204 Children in a 45-Bed Ward: Families Treat Sick Children Under Trees at Thakurgaon Hospital

The children's ward of the 250-bed Thakurgaon General Hospital is facing an acute bed shortage. Against the ward's 45 beds, 204 children are currently admitted. With no room left in the ward and no space even on the floor, helpless guardians are staying with their sick children under the trees in front of the hospital, out in the open.

Visiting the hospital on Wednesday (4 November), this picture of extreme suffering was visible on the ground. Patients' relatives are angry over the intense heat, the shortage of safe drinking water and the unclean toilets. They also allege that they are not receiving necessary medicines and medical supplies from the hospital.

Hospital sources said most of the children now being admitted are suffering from breathing difficulties, fever, coughs and colds, and diarrhoea. The excessive patient load has created an unbearable environment in the children's ward.

Beauty Begum, who came from Panchagarh with her 17-month-old grandson, said the inside of the ward is extremely hot and stuffy, with two to three children crammed onto a single bed. Because of the heat and the sound of crying, the children do not want to stay inside, so she is forced to keep her grandson outside in the open air. He is taken inside only when saline or an injection is given.

Several guardians, including Hossain Ali of Jagdal Sardarpara in Panchagarh and Ruma and Arnita Akter of Bhulli upazila, said that since admission they have received no medicine or medical supplies from the hospital. From cannulas, syringes and saline sets to every medicine on the prescription, everything has to be bought from outside at high prices.

Relatives also complained about conditions inside the hospital. With too few toilets, men and women have to use the same ones, and one toilet is blocked with accumulated dirt. Because of the severe shortage of pure water, many have to collect water from hotels or faraway places.

On this matter, Public Works Department sub-assistant engineer Md. Kamal Hossain said two toilets have problems and the other four are operational. A decision has been taken to identify the problems and observe them for a week.

Acknowledging the excessive patient pressure, hospital superintendent Dr. Firoz Zaman Jewel said, 'In the 45-bed children's ward, around 250 children are often admitted. With the children's guardians also staying, enormous pressure is created in the ward.'

On the allegation of not receiving medical supplies, he said the matter would be looked into and the concerned supervisor and storekeeper would be summoned. He added that quick necessary measures would be taken in coordination with the Public Works Department and the Department of Public Health Engineering to resolve the toilet, water and cleanliness problems.