Hospitals grappling with rising number of young dengue patients

One-year-old Sabiur Rahman faces a double ordeal. Initially battling a blood disorder at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital, Sabiur is now fighting dengue at the same facility.  

Shahana Begum, Sabiur's mother, told TBS that she had come to Dhaka from Tangail as local doctors suspected that her child had thalassemia.

"I brought my child to the hospital to treat one disease and now got another. Now the thalassemia test has been delayed due to dengue," she said. 

The urgency of addressing the dengue outbreak often leads to a delayed focus on other critical illnesses, as was the case with Sabiur.

The alarming trend of children contracting dengue has been persistent amid a distressing rise in the mosquito-borne disease, placing additional strain on the capital's hospitals.

According to the health directorate, 25% of dengue patients in the country are children. They also account for 21% of the total number of deaths from dengue. 

The capital's Mugda Medical College and Hospital never had so many young dengue patients as it has had this year.

Hospital authorities say that almost one-fourth of the admitted patients are children. Besides, many children with fever are being treated outdoors.

Dr Abu Shimul Sayeed, child specialist at the hospital, told TBS that multiple patients are receiving treatment in one bed while some are on the floor. 

"Children under one year of age are at higher risk. Dengue tests should be done only if there is fever; it should not be neglected as viral fever. When the fever is gone, the fear starts, then you have to be more careful," he said. 

He mentioned that treating dengue in young children is challenging because their blood pressure cannot be measured properly. 

"Fluid management in children is also challenging. Children can't talk about their own problems and can go into shock at any time. That's why you have to be more careful about children," said the doctor.

Meanwhile, 12 more dengue patients died and 2,959 were hospitalised across the country in the 24 hours till Thursday morning.

With the latest figure, a total of 364 dengue patients have died and 78,028 were admitted to hospitals this year, according to data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Dr Sohel Parvez, medical officer, Dengue Cell, Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, told TBS that the number of young dengue patients in the hospital is increasing. 

He said the hospital is not admitting patients who come with fever for one or two days and if they can eat orally. 

"We are only admitting patients who are vomiting more than three times a day, and have headache, intolerance to alcohol, diarrhoea and have abdominal pain," the doctor said.

Currently, the number of dengue patients admitted to the 681-bed Bangladesh Shishu Hospital is 119. Ten children have died of dengue in the hospital this year.

Dr ABM Abdullah, emeritus professor and personal physician of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told TBS that children are at greater risk because their immune system is weak. 

"Children sleep during the day, and Aedes mosquitoes also bite in the daytime. Therefore, using mosquito nets is a must for them. It is better for them to wear full-length trousers and full-sleeve clothes, especially during the dengue season."

The two dengue wards of Shishu Hospital wore a gloomy look during a visit by TBS on Wednesday. It was seen that most young patients were being administered saline while some parents were trying to feed their children alongside saline.

Meanwhile, the hospital has stopped providing free dengue tests due to a shortage of test kits.

Every day, at least 20 poor patients are given free dengue tests. However, the facility was suspended on Wednesday due to a shortage of kits. 

The lab officials could not say when the free tests will resume.