Biting cold takes hold of all

Syed Shemul Parvez :
The entire country, including the capital, is shivering from the bone-chilling winter. Due to thick fog, the sun is not visible even in the noon. In the meantime, due to the frosty wind, the cold is putting more ‘bites’ on the body.

It was seen on the spots that the condition of the patients who are being treated on the floor and balcony of few hospitals in the capital is very bad.

Due to insufficient seats in the hospital, patients are sitting on the cold floor all-time.

This image was seen on Monday (January 22) at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Mohakhali National Cancer Research Institute Hospital and National Chest Disease Institute and Hospital in the capital.

Patients who come for treatment say that they are shivering in the hospital bed in the cold air. Especially the patients on the floor and balcony are more fragile.

Doctors say that the patients are getting better in winter than the disease.

However, despite the limitations, the hospital authorities are providing maximum services.

Golam Rabbani came from Rangpur with his wife to get treatment at the cancer hospital. There is no room in the hospital for the crowd surge of patients. So they are compelled to arrange a bed on the floor of the hospital balcony.

Golam Rabbani said, I have been staying here in order to get a seat for six days.
I did not get any seat in the hospital.

So I am forcing my wife to lie down on the floor. The cold air coming from the four sides. Besides, the floor is extremely cold. As a result, the situation has become difficult to endure, he added.

An elderly woman named Shahzadi Begum came to cancer hospital from Demra area for the treatment.

She is now undergoing treatment keeping a bed on the fourth floor of the hospital. Regarding winter, Shahzadi Begum said, I have been sitting in a bed on cold floor since morning.

Is it possible to lie on the floor in such a cold? All the doors and windows are open, and the air is always flowing through it. It seems that I am going to die due to extreme cold.

Regarding the treatment environment in the hospital, she said, there are so many patients. Consequently the condition of the bathrooms is not good. Nobody can go there for odor. Authority should look after it properly, she added.

A doctor on duty at the Cancer Research Institute Hospital on condition of anonymous said that the condition of the patients was very bad during the last few days.

We are trying to treat them as much as we can from our position. We also have limitations. You can see how many surge of patients, he added.

According to experts, different types of diseases including cold, pneumonia, diarrhoea, asthma, tonsillitis, bronchiolitis and sinusitis occur in normal winter temperature in Bangladesh. To protect against these diseases, cold should be avoided. If necessary, consult a doctor.

Meanwhile, classes at all the government primary schools will start from 10:00am till 31 January due to dense fog and extremely cold weather as the temperatures falling below 10 degrees in some districts.