A severe cold-wave has swept the country, especially the northern region in recent times, causing untold sufferings to people. The people belonging to the low income bracket are affected most by the cold weather. In mild to moderate cold-spells, elderly people, workers and children are suffering. Weather forecasters say hard days are coming.
However, it is the children as highly vulnerable to different cold-related diseases, who are double sufferers. Children, who live in open space, in tents on footpaths near Kamalapur Railway Station, for example, are the worst sufferers in the capital. We have no knowledge of how these children would be affected and how much they suffer.
When children of the poor families are getting sick, their parents cannot afford or feel shaky to take them to hospitals. So, authorities concerned have something to do to help take proper care of the helpless children.
At the Dhaka Shishu Hospital, most of the patients, who were waiting for outdoor services, were suffering from cold-related diseases. One visiting this hospital said his four-year-old son was suffering from prolonged coughing for the past few days. He was in fear whether his child was suffering from any complex disease.
Most of the diseases that affect children in winter are common cold, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, tonsillitis and sore throat, asthma, earache, whooping cough, stomach flu or viral diarrhea and scabies.
Outside Dhaka, especially in the north, the picture is grimmer. At Sadar Hospital in Munshiganj, adjacent to the Dhaka city, a physician said dozens of children came to the hospital in the last few days after being infected by different cold-related diseases. Many of them, after given primary treatment, were sent back home. Others were admitted to the hospital as their condition was a bit critical.
Similar or even worse scenario is there elsewhere in the country as reports said around 50 people died of cold related diseases since November. Nearly 300,000 people affected by such diseases visited hospitals across the country during the period, according to the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) and control room of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Most of the patients are children. The ones who died, were suffering from asthma and breathing complications.
To keep their children safe during the cold-spell, many parents have taken extra cautionary measures. They do not allow children to come in touch with cold water. Some do not allow their children to play on the floor in barefoot. Children usually do not want to wear socks or sandals.
Physicians say children should be provided with extra care to protect them from cold-related diseases. They should be barred from consuming ice-cream, cold drinks and similar types of food and drinks, doctors suggest. Parents should make sure that children are wrapped up with warm clothes, whenever they are brought outside of home during the cold-spell. As part of cautionary measures, if necessary, guardians should talk to doctors to keep their children safe from cold-related diseases. Those who cannot afford to consult with good doctors, should be provided with supports from authorities and well-off people living around them.
Sarwar Md. Saifullah Khaled is a retired Professor of Economics and Vice Principal at Cumilla Women's Government College, Cumilla.