The dengue situation in Bangladesh is reaching alarming levels, with hospitals across the country, including in Dhaka, grappling with an overwhelming number of patients.
Due to a shortage of beds, many patients are being treated on hospital floors, in corridors, staircases, and other available spaces.
These makeshift treatment areas are unhygienic, and often infested with insects and dirt.
Despite being public hospitals, patients are forced to pay for tests and medications outside the hospital due to inadequate supplies.
A visit on Wednesday (11 September) to the 500-bed Mugda Hospital’s dengue ward revealed the dire state of affairs.
While it is officially designated as a dengue ward, most patients are being treated on floors, in corridors, and other vacant spaces due to the lack of beds. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable, suffering the most from these conditions.
Although hospitals are expected to provide mosquito nets for patients due to the mosquito-borne nature of dengue, no such nets were supplied.
Public health experts have called for the government to increase its focus on dengue treatment and prevention.
They stress that alongside medical care, public awareness about dengue prevention must be raised. Experts also warn that the unsanitary hospital conditions and lack of mosquito nets heighten the risk of further infections among patients.
In the ninth-floor children’s ward at Mugda Hospital, children afflicted with dengue are being treated in an open area due to the shortage of beds.
The entire floor is crowded with child patients, with beds placed mere inches apart.
The floor is damp and dirty, with dust and debris swirling in the air throughout the day, according to patients.
Despite daily sweeping before the doctors’ rounds in the morning, no further cleaning is done throughout the day, contributing to the unsanitary conditions.
The hospital’s washrooms are in even worse condition. Due to the insufficient number of washrooms for the number of patients, they have become unusable. Family members of patients complain that they, too, are falling ill due to poor hygiene.
The washrooms are in such a terrible state that even patients cannot be taken there, let alone their relatives.
Eight-year-old Hamim Akhand has been in the hospital’s children’s ward for three days after being diagnosed with dengue.
Hamim was seen lying on a simple mat on the floor. His mother expressed her frustration, stating that although they were admitted with a fever, subsequent tests revealed dengue.
The doctors advised giving Hamim four saline drips a day, but the hospital has only provided one, leaving them to purchase the rest outside. They also had to buy antibiotics from external pharmacies.
Similar grievances were shared by Sohel Mia, a resident of Golapbagh, who was admitted the previous morning with a fever and body aches.
He reported being allocated a spot on the floor due to the lack of beds and noted that the area had only been cleaned once in the morning.
The rest of the day, dust filled the air, making the environment difficult to endure.
Md Ador Hossain, from Dholaipar, was admitted to the hospital seven days ago after contracting dengue.
Although his condition has improved, he remains under treatment for chest pain. Like many others, he has been forced to purchase most of his medication outside the hospital, including necessary antibiotics.
Moreover, all essential tests are being conducted in private hospitals, and the dusty floors are causing him respiratory issues.
When contacted for comment, the hospital director, SM Hasibul Islam, was unavailable, as he was in a meeting, according to his personal assistant, Taufiq. Later in the afternoon, Bangladesh First reached him via phone.
Addressing concerns about the lack of mosquito nets and unsanitary conditions on the hospital floors, he denied the allegations, claiming that all patients had been provided with mosquito nets and that the patients' statements were false.
He added that the hospital had an adequate supply of nets, but did not comment on the condition of the floors.
Regarding the worsening dengue situation at Mugda Hospital, he admitted that the situation was deteriorating but abruptly ended the call, citing ill health, and recommended direct communication on these matters.
