Govt’s proactive action can reduce deaths from cold this winter

Finally the winter cold is arriving with its severity.

In the northern districts of Bangladesh that are close to the Himalayas, people are now shivering with cold and normal life is being disrupted in these areas.

Certainly, with cold, the cold-related diseases will come, especially for the poor people who do not have warm clothes and shelter.

The people lacking in awareness about the diseases and paucity of medical services in the far flung areas where, intensity of cold is higher but the government’s treatment facilities are not up to the mark as always.

Like the previous years, newspapers will report hundreds of deaths during the two months of December and January.

But if the government as well as rich but altruistic people stand beside the needy people particularly the aged ones, many of these deaths can be averted.

Older people with different health complications and children including the newborn babies are especially vulnerable to the winter time diseases such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and diarrhoea.

Cold causes arteries and veins to constrict that can increase blood pressure and rise in cardiac and cerebrovascular events.

Deaths by strokes occur more in the winter than in summer.

Therefore, adequate warm clothes and awareness hold the key to avert the cold related diseases and deaths.

However, it is a pity that in our society we often notice, for the richer many, winter is a time of wearing costly and smart clothes, but for the poorer people, it is a test for them about how they could manage warm clothes and pass the days of cold.

That is why compassion among the richer people for the poorer ones is particularly called for at this time.

Poor people in the northern districts deserve the most attention both from the government and well-off people since they are exposed to the cold north wind.

As the worst victims of cold weather are wage earners, they need support of warm clothes during the night time as well as daytime when they work in the field.

Moreover, the public health facilities are also needed to be well prepared to deal with cold-related diseases.

A little seriousness on the part of the government can make a big change in alleviating people’s sufferings and reducing cold-related fatalities.