The poor must get necessary drugs for free in hospitals

In this first week of January, the winter cold has gripped the country, especially the northern region. With it, the prevalence of the cold related diseases has also spiked.

According to a daily yesterday, 2 lakh 107 people were admitted to government hospitals across the country with cold-related diseases in the last 45 days. But the number of patients could be much more.

The vulnerable people are also dying. Cold can be a terrific enemy for babies including the newborn and the old people whose immune systems are weaker.

The sad part of this winter scenario is prices of drugs have shot up high with other essential commodities. The price of paracetamol syrup alone has increased by 70 per cent.

The family that has children below 10 years old has to buy this analgesic all through the year, let alone the winter. Besides, prices of essential antibiotics have increased, in some cases the increase is more than double.

For the common people who have to buy food items and medicines on their daily income it is very difficult to maintain life even though these people are not responsible for creating the present economic crisis.

Therefore, it is very urgent for the government to keep its hospitals and health centres ready to serve the poor patients.

According to medical sources, children are suffering from cold-related diseases after dengue.

About 500 babies are coming to the pediatric outpatient department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital every day.

The diseases that drive them to seek hospital treatment are flu, pneumonia, bronchitis and diarrhea.

Of these diseases pneumonia can be very serious. It is always unacceptable that poor people rush towards hospitals in desperation but they don’t get adequate treatment because of negligence of the hospital authorities. Poor people must get necessary medicines free of cost.