Hospitals receive influx of digestive system emergencies

Rawalpindi : The three teaching hospitals in town and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in the federal capital received a significant influx of patients with problems related to digestive system on the first and second days of Eidul Azha.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Wednesday, the third day of Eid reveals that nearly 40 to 50 per cent of all patients reported at the allied hospitals and PIMS on the first two days of Eid were with complaints of gastroenteritis or stomach related problems.

The allied hospitals and PIMS received over 2,000 patients on the first two days of Eid with stomach related problems.

It is important that most of the private clinics in town and its outskirts do not operate during Eid holidays in result of which the public sector hospitals have to face heavy burden of patients at their emergency departments as the outpatient departments in the hospitals do not operate on Eid holidays.

On the first day of Eid, the emergency departments of PIMS, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital received well over 400 cases of gastric upset, stomach problem, indigestion or dyspepsia that may not be a greater concern but it put burden on public sector hospitals. Majority of these cases reached hospitals with complaints of heartburn or acid reflux.

Almost every second or third patient reaching emergency departments of allied hospitals on the first two days of Eidul Azha was with the complaint of gastroenteritis, said Vice Chancellor at Rawalpindi Medical University Professor Dr. Muhammad Umar while talking to ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

He said 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.

He said people should be 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. Excessive consumption of meat whether it is mutton or beef is harmful for both healthy persons and chronic patients, he said.

It is important that majority of our population is habitual of taking heavy meals particularly on Eidul Azha. Every year during the Eid days, the allied hospitals along with other public sector hospitals in the region receive heavy influx of patients at their emergency departments mostly with the complaints of problems related to digestive system.

Many health experts suggest that there is a need of creating awareness among public on health issues related to digestive system and general public should be informed of benefits of adopting good dietary habits.

It is important that because of digestive system problems, patients with heart diseases may experience worsening of chest pain. Gastro manifests as vomiting, diarrhea and severe pain in abdomen with cramps while small intestine with previous ulcers may get damaged and perforated.