Desk Report,
Joinal Abedin (42), a resident of Barguna Sadar, had a fever. When he was taken to the hospital, dengue was diagnosed in the test. When his condition became serious, his relatives tried to take him to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barisal; but he died of severe respiratory distress before reaching the hospital.
Joynal Abedin died on June 16. His daughter Maria Akhter said, “My father had a fever. He was diagnosed with dengue when he was tested in Barguna. Since his condition was serious, we tried to take him to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barisal; but he died of severe respiratory distress as soon as he reached the hospital.”
The dengue situation in Barguna is taking a terrible turn. However, there is no intensive care unit (ICU) in the 250-bed Barguna General Hospital. The ambulance equipped with ICU facilities in the hospital is also useless. As a result, patients who are in serious condition after contracting dengue are being sent to Barisal or Dhaka in ordinary ambulances at a high risk. This is putting the patients’ relatives in danger. Incidents like deaths are also happening on the way. According to the official figures, five people have died of dengue at Barguna Sadar Hospital from last January to last Saturday; but according to the private figures, 11 people have died. The number of dengue patients in the district is increasing every day.
In Barisal division, 3,290 people have been admitted to government hospitals with dengue from January to June 19 this year. Of these, 2,026 have been admitted to hospitals in Barguna alone.
According to doctors at Barguna General Hospital, the 250-bed hospital has been practically full of dengue patients for a month. 60 to 70 dengue patients are being admitted every day. Last Thursday, 217 people were undergoing treatment at the hospital with dengue.
