A prolonged heatwave has significantly increased patient admissions in hospitals throughout Dhaka, with the city's medical facilities struggling to cope with the additional burden.  Most admissions involve heatstroke, fever, cold, diarrhoea, and pneumonia, ailments that disproportionately affect children. Patients and their families face severe heat within hospital premises as well, worsening conditions for those already suffering. Many hospitals, including Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), have reported a surge in cases since Eid, with no space left even on the floors, forcing many to resort to makeshift solutions like hand fans or small table fans. Abul Malek, from Dhaka’s Nodda area, was admitted at DMCH. His son Nadim told UNB, "The heat is unbearable, and the lack of available beds has left my father to receive treatment on the floor. The situation would have been somewhat manageable with lower temperatures." Severe heatwave in Khulna: Day labourers forced to work in dangerous conditions In response to the dire situation, Brigadier General Md. Asaduzzaman, Director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, emphasized their efforts to improve conditions. "We're swapping out all malfunctioning fans and adding new ones wherever possible. Additionally, technicians have been instructed to ensure separate lines for fans and lights to prevent electrical issues." Patient admissions have reportedly doubled at Kurmitola General Hospital, Mugda Medical College and Hospital and Dhaka Shishu Hospital as well since Eid. The majority of these patients are suffering from diarrhoea and pneumonia. The emergency and outpatient medicine departments are under the most pressure, facing the highest patient load. Professor Dr. Farid Ahmed, Head of General Pediatrics at Dhaka Shishu Hospital, highlighted the impact of the heatwave on young patients: "With the heat continuing, children are particularly vulnerable to heatstroke and other diseases, which have led to an alarming rate of hospital admissions. We are struggling to provide enough beds." Public health expert and former director of Disease Control at Directorate General of Health Services, Professor Dr. Be-Nazir Ahmed, stressed the severity of the situation, noting, "The current heatwave is unbearable. It not only raises the risk of cholera but also heightens the likelihood of other diseases. Extreme temperatures disrupt normal bodily functions, posing life-threatening risks and increasing susceptibility to various infections." Fear of fruit failure grips mango growers in Chapainawabganj as heatwave Intensifies The authorities have urged the public to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary and avoid direct exposure to extreme temperatures. With schools reopening, there is an increased concern for children's safety, necessitating heightened awareness and preventive measures against foodborne diseases and dehydration. This crisis underscores the pressing need for improved infrastructure and preparedness to handle climate-induced health emergencies, particularly for the most vulnerable populations such as children.

Kariman Begum in flood-hit Kharjanir Char in Gaibandha was sitting on a banana tree raft in front of her house hoping to get some relief. “No one has come yet to see how we are surviving or what we are eating”, she told UNB about her ordeal. Skin diseases caused by flood water is adding to the miseries of flood-affected people in char upazilas of Gaibandha. Water-borne diseases like diarrhoea are also a concern. Read: Receding flood waters reveal disastrous damage in Sylhet Finding no other solution Kariman and her neighbours Halima, Motin Kobazzaman, Mithu Mia from the area said they are applying turmeric mixed with kerosene oil for a little relief from the constant itching. “I can’t find a moment of sleep due to the painful itching and fear that my seven-year old son can get washed away by flood water any moment. As it happened to many other families,” said kariman. The authorities have claimed an adequate number of medical teams has been sent to the flood-hit region but none has yet shown up in the neighborhood of Kariman yet The drinking water crisis in this region is immense. “Even amid this situation of extreme crisis we have to pay boat fare to just bring drinkable water from across the river during daytime,” said Kariman. The Brahmaputra and Ghaghat River in Gaibandha were flowing a bit below the danger level though some others were receding on Sunday. Read: Improvement in Kurigram’s flood does little to mitigate sufferings “Residents of 25 char unions including Kamarjani, Mollar Char, kapasia, Haripur, Fazlupur, Uria, Ratanpur, Fulchari of Sundarganj, Saghata, Fulchari, and Gaibandha sadai upazilas remained stranded by flood water till Thursday,” said Motiar Rahman, Chairman of Kamarjani union. “Many houses have little dry place to cook food. They are shifting their stoves to rafts and they can't afford cooked meals three times a day. They don't even have any toilets,” he said. According to the authority, a total of 60 flood shelters have been opened in the district but people could take refuge in only 12 of them. For most of the centres are under water or threatened by river erosion. “Many people are struggling with their only income source, cattle that could not be sheltered at the centers. Many have crossed the river with their cattle to save them,” said the locals. “So far only 135 people including men, women, and children have taken shelter in the centres. However, 125 MT of rice, Tk 6 lakh, and another 15 lakhs for buying baby food have been allocated for the assistance of flood-affected people in Gaibandha,” said SM Foyez Uddin, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (in-charge).

A school student died and another about 70 people had been afflicted with diarrhoea in Jurachhari upazila in Rangamati district in last two days, health officials said on Sunday. Rangabi Chakma, a class two student of Amtala village was reported to have died from diarrhoea on Friday, said Ananya Chakma, health officer of Jurachhari Upazila Health Complex. Authorities at Jurachhari Health Complex rushed a five-member medical team to provide medical treatment to the diarrhoea patients in the affected villages, some of them in remote hills. Also read: Diarrhoea breaks out in flood-hit Sylhet Ten patients from the hilly Amtala village under the Moidang union of the upazila were sent to Rangamati upazila health complex on Friday.

As many as 550 people have been diagnosed with water-borne diseases, including diarrhoea, in the past one week in Sylhet, compounding the woes of the district's flood-hit residents. According to the Sylhet Civil Surgeon's office, 400 people have been suffering from diarrhoea while 150 people were diagnosed with skin and other diseases. The number of infected people is increasing day by day. Already, some 140 medical teams have been sent to the 13 upazilas of the district -- declared as diarrhoea-prone -- to provide medical services to the flood-hit people. While 12 medical teams have been sent to Kanaighat upazila, 11 to Jaintapur, 10 each tk Goainghat, Sadar, Fenchuganj and Jakiganj, 16 each to Beanibazar and Golapganj, nine to Osmaninagar, eight to Dakkhin Surma and seven each to Balaganj and Companigonj upazilas of the district. Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Joyshankar Datta said, "People are suffering from diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases, and our medical teams are working round-the-clock clock to provide medical services to them." Read: Sylhet schools shut due to flooding  Zahidul Islam, chief health officer of Sylhet City Corporation, said a ward-level health campaign has already been launched and "we have a plan to carry out such health campaigns daily for a fortnight". "Residents of the city are suffering a lot due to the unavailability of pure drinking water, and we have already distributed 1.60 lakh water purification tablets," he said. Dr Himangshu Lal Roy, director of Sylhet Health Division, said, "Some 183 people have been diagnosed with diarrhoea in the past 24 hours. The figure was 171 the previous day." Besides, a total of five water purification machines -- four from the Department of Public Health Engineering and one from the Red Crescent Society -- have been pressed into service in the district. Read: No improvement in Sylhet's flood situation "Each machine can purify 500 litres of water an hour," the official said.  

 A 60-year-old woman suffering from diarrhoea died at Meherpur General Hospital on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Aslima Khatun, a resident of Maniknagar village in Mujibnagar upazila of the district. According to the family members, Aslima had been suffering from diarrhoea and was undergoing treatment at Mujibnagar Health Complex for the last three days. As her condition deteriorated, she was taken to Meherpur General Hospital on Friday where she breathed that night, said Dr Mokhlesur Rahman of Meherpur General Hospital. "We are waiting for the reports of her medical tests to determine the cause of her death," he said. Bangladesh has been witnessing an alarming rise in diarrhoea cases since mid-March. Some 250 people infected with diarrhoea are currently undergoing treatment at Meherpur General Hospital, said sources at the hospital. Read: Diarrhoea hospitalisations continue to rise in Dhaka, other districts Dr Md Nazmul Islam, a spokesperson for the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), on Wednesday said that necessary medicines for diarrhoea patients such as saline and water purification tablets were sent to hospitals. A total of 4,528 medical teams are working across the country to fight diarrhoea. Besides, around 23 lakh Dhaka residents will get two doses of the oral vaccine against cholera, he had said. READ: Diarrhoea outbreak grips Barguna The first dose of the vaccine will be given in May and the second in June, said Dr Nazmul.

Diarrhea outbreak has turned severe in the country as the arrival of patients continues at icddr’b and different government hospitals of the country.  The number of diarrhoea patients usually rise in the pre- monsoon or pre-winter periods, but this year the number of cases is higher during summer, said AKM Tariful Islam Khan, public relations officer of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b). Read: Diarrhoea hospitalisations continue to rise in Dhaka, other districts A total of 16,177 diarrhoea patients received treatment at icddr’b in the last 15 days. As many as 769 patients received treatment for the water-borne disease till 2 pm on Tuesday while 1334 patients received treatment on March 28 (Monday), the highest number in the past 15 days, Tariful told UNB. As many as 1230 patients were hospitalised on March 27, he said.  The patients are being discharged from the hospital once they become stable, he said. UNB Bagerhat correspondent reports: Currently 18 diarrhea patients are undergoing treatment at Bagerhat district hospital, said Supervisor of 250-bed Bagerhat Hospital Dr. Ashim Kumar Samaddar. Of the total patients, ten were children while eight others were adult. However, health experts blamed weather for the sharp rise in diarrhea patients. They also urged people to wash their hands properly before taking food and drink pure water. Our Chuadanga correspondent adds: a total of 97 patients with diarrhea were admitted to Sadar hospital in the last three days. Read:Canadian envoy lauds icddr,b’s research works, innovations The patients are scrambling for space as everyday 25-35 patients are being admitted to the hospital, making it difficult for the hospital authorities to provide medical treatment. People were seen taking treatment on floor and veranda of the hospital due to lack of space.

Nearly 800 people were infected with respiratory problems across the country in the last 24 hours till Wednesday morning.

Various cold-related diseases affected 3,726 people across the country in the last 24 hours till Wednesday morning.

Various cold-related diseases affected 3,882 people across the country in the last 24 hours till

Various cold-related diseases affected 3,746 people across the country in the last 24 hours till Tuesday morning.