Hospitals receive extra burden of patients with stomach related problems on Eid days

Rawalpindi: The teaching hospitals in town including Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital received an extra burden of patients with problems related to digestive system on the three days of Eidul Azha.

Data collected by ‘The News’ has revealed that nearly 30 to 40 per cent of all patients who visited BBH and DHQ Hospital during Eid holidays, from June 17 to June 19, were with the complaints of gastric problems, gastroenteritis or stomach related emergencies.

It is important that the outpatient departments of the allied hospitals remained closed on Eid holidays and only emergency departments were operational to receive both the emergency and OPD cases. Holy Family Hospital, however, operated gynaecology and paeds departments’ emergency only on Eid days due to renovation work being carried out at the hospital.

Data reveals that the allied hospitals received little extra burden of patients at their emergency departments during Eidul Azha holidays though most of the patients visiting the allied hospitals were with mild to moderate illnesses. The three teaching hospitals received a total of around 15000 patients at their emergency departments on the three days of Eid.

The DHQ Hospital received a total of 3844 patients during the three days of Eid while as many as 6492 patients reached BBH on Eid days, said Principal Rawalpindi Medical College and In-charge Allied Hospitals Professor Dr. Jahangir Sarwar Khan while talking to ‘The News’. The allied hospitals received a good number of OPD cases at their emergency departments during Eid holidays majority of which were with the complaints of gastrointestinal problems. The number of patients reported at the hospitals was greater than that of routine but the staff on duty managed the situation well, he said.

He added the Accident and Emergency Departments of the allied hospitals received a good number of OPD cases during Eid holidays and it was mainly because the majority of the private clinics in town were not operating during the holidays.

The situation at the hospitals remained well under control as no bigger emergency was reported on Eid days. Most of the routine patients received by the allied hospitals on Eid holidays were with gastro, diarrhea, dysentery, vomiting and fever. The administrations of the allied hospitals claimed to have managed all the patients well on Eid days.

BBH and DHQ Hospital received a good number of patients with gastric upset, stomach problems, indigestion or dyspepsia. Majority of these cases reached hospitals with complaints of heartburn or acid reflux. Majority of patients reached hospitals because of overeating or due to consumption of contaminated food or unsafe drinking water though most of the cases were of mild to moderate nature.

Professor Jahangir said there is a need to make individuals aware of the fact that the digestive system emergencies are caused by overeating while complications occur in patients with diabetes, hypertension, liver and kidney diseases or gastric ulcers and like patients must take extra care in diet. He added that excessive consumption of meat whether it is mutton or beef is harmful for both the healthy persons and chronic patients.

Studies reveal that patients with heart diseases may experience worsening of chest pain because of digestive system problems. Gastro manifests as vomiting, diarrhoea and severe pain in abdomen with cramps while small intestine with previous ulcers may get damaged and perforated. Experts say that to avoid food poisoning and stomach disorders, people should avoid excessive consumption of spices, cola or other beverages while meat products should be taken in moderate quantities on and after Eid.

Many health experts suggest that there is a need to create awareness among the public on the benefits of adopting good dietary habits particularly in summer and monsoon, that is around the corner.