Hospitalization of children with fever, diarrhoea and itching is on the rise in the district  due to heat wave that is sweeping different parts of the country. “At least 400 to 500 children took treatment every day at outdoor unit in the last seven days. Most of the children came with   cold, fever, diarrhoea, itching and other diseases caused by excessive hot weather,” said Dr Mrityunjay Saha Swapan of Dr Zahed Memorial Child Hospital, the lone pediatric hospital in the district. Also read: No respite from heatwave in next 24 hour During a visit to the hospital on Saturday, the UNB correspondent found parents from suburb and sadar upazila were crowding the specialised hospital with their sick children.

The number of diarrhoea patients, mostly children, has been rising alarmingly in Faridpur hospitals for the last one month. Besides diarrhoea, hospitals are struggling to manage the huge flow of patients suffering from fever, cold, and pneumonia. Read:Diarrhoea hospitalisations continue to rise in Dhaka, other districts During a visit on Sunday, the UNB correspondent found that more than 300 children are being given treatment at the indoor and outdoor units of Dr. Zahed Memorial Shishu Hospital in Faridpur town daily on average. Besides, Sadar General Hospital, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital, and different private hospitals and clinics have been flooded with diaarohea patients. Around 200 patients are being treated in these hospitals daily on average. Dr. Emdadul Haque Shamim, the resident medial officer of Dr. Zahed Memorial Shishu Hospital, said, “Children are being afflicted with diarrehoea due to weather change.” He also suggested the parents to take special care of their children during this hot weather. Only 10 beds are available for diarrhoea patients at Faridpur Sadar General Hospital. But, more than double patients were admitted to the hospital, creating huge pressure on the hospital authorities . This scenario is almost the same at all the public and private hospitals and clinics in the district.    Farida Yeasmin, a senior nurse of Sadar General Hospital, said, “We are trying to give services to the patients despite our limitations. Patients are arriving at the hospital daily with severe diarrhoea with vomiting and most of them are children.”   Day labour Akter Sheikh has come to the hospital from Madaripur with his two kids suffering from diarrhoea. Read:Diarrhoea outbreak grips Barguna “I have admitted my two children at Faridpur Sadar General Hospital but getting a bed here is very tough as the number of patients is very high. We are staying on the floor. However, my children are better now,” he said. District Civil Surgeon Dr. Siddiqur Rahman said, “The situation is still under control. The number of diarrhoea patients has increased in the district. Doctors are struggling at some places to give treatment to the patients. Weather change has caused the diarrhoea outbreak.” He, however, has suggested that people should avoid stale food during this summer and drink pure and clean water always.