Pneumonia kills 4 children, attacks 800 in 2 districts

Our Nilphamari Correspondent reports: Two babies, Babu and Sathi, died while the disease attacked over 500.

Senior medical officer of Nilphamari Civil Surgeon (CS) Office Abdul Majid said fluctuating temperature is the reason behind outbreak of pneumonia.

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District health control room sources said 130 babies were treated in all the six government hospitals and health complexes on Wednesday. Of them, 30 babies were treated in Nilphamari 100-bed Modernised Hospital. Parents alleged that their babies were kept in a congested and unhealthy female ward. The condition of the babies are worsening day by day, they said.

On contact, Nilphamari hospital Residential Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Khorsed Alam confirmed the deaths. He also admitted that the disease is spreading fast. 'The hospital authorities are facing trouble in tackling the situation due to lack of child specialist,' he said.

Our Dinajpur Correspondent reports: Two children died and 280 others were attacked with pneumonia in Thakurgaon in a week, hospital sources said.

The dead are Asif, son of Akbar Ali at Baragaon village and Mamata, daughter of Md Mohiuddin Ahmed at Nargun village in Sadar upazila.

The affected areas are Thakurgaon Sadar, Ranishankail, Haripur, Pirganj and Baliadangi upazilas.

Hospital sources said, at least 90 children were admitted to Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital on Monday.

Diarrhoea also broke out in the areas. More than 20 children aged between 1 and 7 years were attacked and they are now undergoing treatment at the hospital.

The hospital authorities are facing a great problem due to lack of accommodation. The hospital has only 100 beds.

When contacted, Dinajpur CS Dr Abdul Momen said, several medical teams have been formed to tackle the situation. He blamed unfavourable weather for the outbreak of the diseases.

On contact, Dr Shahjahan Newaz, a child specialist at Thakurgaon hospital termed the pneumonia situation alarming.

Meanwhile, oxygen crisis multiplied the sufferings of patients in the hospital.