Bone chilling winter grips Rangpur, jeopardizes people's lives

Severe winter has paralyzed people’s lives in the Rangpur region. Various ailments such as pneumonia, common flu and respiratory problems have become widespread. 

In the last one week, 17 people, mostly children and the elderly, have died of cold-related diseases at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH). 

The acting director of the hospital, Dr Rostam Ali, confirmed the matter.

On the other hand, two women, Munni Begum of Pirgachha in Rangpur and Khemti Begum of Lalmonirhat Sadar, were burned while trying to warm themselves and died in the burn unit of RMCH in the last 24 hours. 

The head of the burn unit, Dr Hamidur Rahman Palash, confirmed the deaths of the women.

A visit to various children's wards of RMCH revealed them to be filled to the brim.

Children are being admitted to the hospital with serious illnesses like pneumonia, cold, diarrhoea and shortness of breath.

Asma Begum, from Nageshwari in Kurigram, said her one-year-old daughter had been suffering from pneumonia for seven days and was admitted to the hospital. Her condition had improved but doctors advised staying at the hospital for a few more days for observation.

Sajeda Begum's six-month-old son and another patient, seven-year-old Mumtaz from Mominpur area of Rangpur, said they were both suffering from respiratory problems. 

Dr Salam, the doctor on duty, said that severe cold was continuing in the Rangpur region. At the same time, mothers had been told not to let their children out of the house but they were not listening. As a result, the children were being affected by various cold related diseases.

It was seen at the outdoor department of the hospital that mothers from different districts of Rangpur were lining up with their children to receive treatment.

Outpatient doctors have been admitting critically ill patients to the hospital and sending the others back after primary treatment. 

Relatives of most of the children who came for treatment said that they had been suffering from fever for a few days and were having difficulty breathing. The guardians of the children are having to stay with the children on the floors of the hospital as the number of beds is not adequate.

Doctors are also struggling to provide treatment to all of them.

Dr Hasna Akhtar, a doctor on duty outdoors, said children should not be taken out in the morning and at night due to the cold. In addition, they should be in adequate winter clothes. 

Meanwhile, the acting director of Rangpur Medical College Hospital, Dr Rostam Ali, said that in the last one week, 1,322 people had been admitted to the hospital with various diseases caused by cold. Most of them were children. 

Of them, 17 of them died due to cold-related diseases. All measures were being taken to treat the affected patients, he added.