Gastroenteritis outbreak looms large in Islamabad

PIMS receives over 7,000 patients in last three weeks,
number of patients on the rise

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences has received well over seven thousand patients with gastroenteritis, particularly water and food borne bacterial infections, in last three weeks and the number of patients reaching PIMS with gastro is continuously on the rise hinting towards a possible severe outbreak of the infection in the coming days.

From April 1 to date, the main emergency department of PIMS, Paediatrics emergency and mother and child health emergency department have received well over 7000 patients with gastroenteritis and it is alarming that of these, nearly 55 per cent reached hospital with severe dehydration, said Deputy Director at PIMS Dr. Wasim Ahmed Khawaja while talking to ‘The News’ on Saturday.

The severely dehydrated patients reached PIMS were given intravenous fluids by the duty staff, he said. Most of the patients reached PIMS with gastro were with complaints of pain in abdomen; vomiting and diarrhoea while nearly five per cent with fever, he said.

He said the PIMS had to depute additional staff in emergency departments to deal with the situation while additional number of intravenous fluids bags (drips) has already been arranged in emergency departments.

He added that it is alarming that nearly 95 per cent of those patients who reached PIMS emergency with severe dehydration did not use Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS). It proves that the patients were ignorant of the importance of use of ORS after getting diarrhoea, he said.

Talking of another important aspect, he said it was also alarming that 95 per cent of the total patients were not using boiled water while most of them were with the misconception that water through soil boring is safe for drinking and it does not need boiling.

The basis reason behind increase in number of patients with gastroenteritis is use of contaminated water for drinking or the use of contaminated food.

To a query, Dr. Khawaja said nearly 70 per cent of all patients reached PIMS with gastro were males while 30 per cent were females. It was found that most of the patients were infected after having meal or refreshments outside homes, he said.

He added that no death has so far been reported due to gastroenteritis and all the patients so far presented achieved complete cure.

He said nearly 60 per cent of the patients who visited PIMS with gastro were infected after eating home-made food that hints that they were not following good hygiene. Majority of patients reaching PIMS with gastro are from lower middle and middle class, he said.

It is worth mentioning here that gastroenteritis can be viral, bacterial or parasitic though there are many other infectious agents that can cause this syndrome. In this region of the world, however, majority of gastroenteritis cases are due to bacterial infections.

It is important that gastroenteritis is among infections that are seasonal having direct relation to weather. Poor hygienic conditions at food places and vendors contaminate foodstuff. Also hot and humid weather allows bacteria to grow faster particularly the bacteria causing gastroenteritis.

Dr. Khawaja said gastro is 100 per cent preventable disease if proper preventive measures are taken by the public though it seems that majority of the individuals are unaware of various aspects of gastroenteritis and there is a need of creating awareness among public about preventive measures to be taken to avoid gastro.

To a query, he said at present, 150 to 200 adults are being reported with gastro at the main emergency department of PIMS per day on average however it is being expected that the number would be multiplied in the days to come.

He added that PIMS has made all necessary arrangements to deal with gastro patients that may go on rise further in the weeks to come. “Department of Gastroenterology is looking after patients at the hospital’s emergency department and OPD while patients needing admission are being kept in medical ward,” he said.