Hospitals receiving low influx of patients with serious infections

Cleanliness, precautionary measures needed to avoid outbreaks

Rawalpindi

The three teaching hospitals in town are receiving relatively low influx of patients with serious infections though the number of child patients with upper and lower respiratory tract infections including pneumonia is still on the rise.

Many health experts believe that overall a healthy season is prevailing in this region of the country however to avoid serious infections in the coming months, people have to follow certain healthy habits including good hygiene, cleanliness and preventive measures against infections endemic in the region.

At present, there has not been any extra-ordinary burden of infections of serious nature like dengue fever or diarrhoea however these infections may hit population after rise in temperature and humidity.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Saturday reveals that Benazir Bhutto Hospital has not been receiving heavy influx of patients at its OPD for at least a week instead majority of patients reaching hospital are with complaints of mild to moderate infections.

The same is the situation at Holy Family Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital.

It is worth mentioning here that nearly 40 per cent burden of disease in Pakistan constitutes communicable infections including tuberculosis, measles, pneumonia, acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, malaria, gastrointestinal infections, viral hepatitis, and dengue fever and like threats.

The allied hospitals have no patient at their isolation wards at present and the number of cases of communicable diseases can be controlled if proper preventive measures are taken at the time, said in-charge infectious diseases unit at Rawalpindi Medical College and allied hospitals Dr. Javed Hayat while talking to ‘The News’.

He said the most important thing is to educate public that healthy life style and good dietary habits can safeguard individuals from a number of serious health threats including respiratory tract infections and gastrointestinal diseases. Only by adopting cleanliness, the chances of a number of infections can be reduced to a significant extent, he said.

He said individuals should wash hands with soap before eating and after going to toilet and should consume clean drinking water to avoid certain infections. The best practice is to use boiled water for drinking, he said.

He added that another good habit is to use plenty of fruits and vegetables and the leftover food should be stored properly in refrigerator. “Individuals should wash vegetables and fruits with clean water before eating.”

To avoid malaria and dengue fever like infections, there is a need to create awareness among public that unnecessary accumulation of water and moisture at homes may provide breeding places to mosquitoes and these must be avoided, said Dr. Javed while responding to a query.

He, like many other health experts, said that common cold and flu in children should not be taken lightly as these might lead to lower respiratory tract infections including pneumonia.