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Amid the surge in dengue across the country, the situation has turned alarming in Barguna district with a sharp spike in both infections and fatalities.
Some 67 new dengue patients have been admitted to Barguna Sadar Hospital.
Besides, the death toll from dengue in the district this year has risen to 13, with five of those deaths reported from Barguna General Hospital.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), from January to June 13, a total of 1,631 people have been infected with dengue in Barguna. Among them, 1,438 have recovered.
Barguna has the highest infection rate in the Barishal division at 61.80%, which is alarming, it said. The infection rate is the number of infection tests that return a positive result.
Sources said Barguna General Hospital is facing a critical shortage of medical staff. Of the 55 sanctioned posts for doctors, only 19 are currently serving. The hospital has just 66 nurses against the requirement of 150.
While there are only 55 designated beds for dengue patients, an average of 150-200 patients are being admitted daily.
Including patients with other illnesses, the hospital is treating about 500 patients per day, alongside around 400 outpatients.
Due to the lack of adequate facilities, many critical patients are being referred to Barishal and Dhaka.
Recently, a 65-year-old woman identified as Papri Begum from College Branch Road died while going to Dhaka.
Besides, school student Omar Al Arabi from Khamarbari was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at a hospital in Dhaka and a female entrepreneur Azmeri Monalisa Jerin also succumbed to dengue.
One of the most heartbreaking stories is that of Naimur Rahman Prince, 26, a recent graduate preparing for the BCS exam, who died from dengue on Friday morning. He had aspired to secure a government job and support his family financially.
Shilpi Begum, mother of one and half-year-old dengue patient Abdullah, said, "Both my son and I are hospitalized with dengue. The hospital doesn't provide any blood tests or medicine-we have to buy everything from outside. My husband is a rickshaw-puller. How will we manage the expenses?"
Another patient, Mizan, said "I've been admitted for four days but haven't received even a basic saline drip. Pharmacies are out of stock too. And doctors are rarely available."
Ishrat Jahan, a senior staff nurse of the hospital, said "We are overwhelmed due to the severe manpower shortage. This Eid, we didn't even get a holiday. We're doing our best to serve the patients, but delays are inevitable and sometimes we face criticism for that. Although this is a 250-bed hospital, operations are being managed with resources for only 100 beds."
President of Sachetan Nagorik Committee, Monir Hossain Kamal, blamed poor management and public unawareness for the crisis.
Dr Md Rezwanur Alam, superintendent of Barguna General Hospital, said "This is the peak season for dengue. The patient count far exceeds our 55-bed capacity. I believe nearly every household has at least one infected member. The situation is becoming a full-scale epidemic. We are facing an emergency beyond our capacity."
When asked about the surge, Civil Surgeon Dr Mohammad Abul Fattah said it is difficult to identify the significant cause of dengue in the district but the IEDCR (Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research) may be able to provide better insights.
However, poor sanitation, lack of public awareness and patients' failure to follow medical advice have contributed to the outbreak, he said.
Many patients refuse to use mosquito nets, which is leading to further transmission, he added.
Contacted, Deputy Commissioner of Barguna district, Mohammad Shafiul Alam said, "We've been seeing a rise in dengue cases for the past two months. Several people have died. In response, we've held multiple meetings and the municipality is continuing mosquito control efforts. We've also informed higher authorities about the acute shortage of doctors and nurses."