A physician couple is passing an awful time as they have got their two sons infected with dengue which has been playing havoc across the country for the last few weeks.
“This is a very difficult time for us,” Rukhsana Pervin, a consultant at Shyamoli TB (Tuberculosis) Hospital, said.
The kids –11-year-old Ayan and three-year-old Alvin -- have been undergoing treatment at Dhaka Shishu Hospital in the city’s Agargaon area since Sunday last.
Ayan, a fifth-grader of an English version school at Rupnagar in the city’s Mirpur area, was infected with dengue for the second time as he was first infected by the disease four years ago.
Ayan, a fifth-grader of an English version school at Rupnagar in the city’s Mirpur area, at Dhaka Shishu Hospital
“We’re more worried about Ayan as he’s a second-time dengue patient,” Rukhsana said with her eyes full of tears.
The problem has been worse for the couple as both of them are government job holders – one working at Shyamoli TB (Tuberculosis) Hospital while her husband Sayeed Talukder is a lecturer at Centre for Medical Education in the capital.
They have been struggling to manage attendants for their children at the hospital their sons undergoing treatment -- Dhaka Shishu Hospital.
The couple lives at Pallabi in the city’s Mirpur area.
Rukhsana said Ayan was admitted to the hospital on Sunday after he was found NS1 positive on Saturday.
They had to wait for three-four hours to have a bed allocated for Ayan at the hospital as there was no vacant bed there at that time due to the huge pressure of dengue patients.
After Ayan’s admission, the couple found that their three-year-old boy Alvin was also suffering from fever. Then they went for NS1 antigen test for Alvin and found him infected with dengue in the test report. Alvin was also admitted to the hospital later in the day, said Rukhsana.
Rukhsana said Ayan might have infected with dengue either at home or school. Another two children at their nearby flats were infected with dengue a few days ago, and a building is under-construction on an adjacent plot. So, there is a high risk of being infected with dengue at their home, she added.
Rukhsana said she and her husband were on a two-day leave to take care of their sons at the hospital.
On completion of their leave, Sayeed’s sister attended the two at the hospital taking a one-day leave from her office – Brac Bank.
Her husband Sayeed said they are worried about Ayan as the second time infection is always dangerous for dengue patients.
During the first time infection, Ayan got recovered just receiving treatment at hom, he said.
“Now we’re suffering from mental and physical stresses as both sons are infected with dengue. Being physicians, we’re panicked as we know its consequences,” he said.
Sayeed said there are two brothers and one sister in their joint family. Of them, three other members of his family – father, younger brother and his spouse-- are also physicians.
The authorities of Dhaka Shishu Hospital said on average 180-200 children undergo NS1 antigen test a day at their hospital, but only 10-12 children are detected with dengue infection.
“We’re facing difficulties to deal with the heavy inflow of children who undergo dengue test. Huge kits are needed for it,” said hospital’s public relations officer Md Abdul Hakim.
He said people are thronging hospitals as they have got panicked over the serious dengue outbreak, reports UNB.