Changed weather triggers infectious diseases

Hospitals see flood of patients suffering from seasonal ailments

RAWALPINDI:

The change in weather coupled with rising smog has resulted in an unprecedented increase in the number of flu, cough and fever and other respiratory diseases among people especially children in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Viral infections and contagious diseases have taken a toll on entire families as outpatient departments (OPDs) of government hospitals and private clinics in Rawalpindi have witnessed a plethora of patients suffering from cold, cough, sore throat, chest infections, fever and pneumonia.

The number of patients has increased at the Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, the Holy Family Hospital and the District Headquarters Hospital.

The OPDs of the three allied hospitals and private clinics are witnessing an increase in cases of common cold, cough, sore throat, chest infection, fever and pneumonia.

Instructions are being issued to people to protect themselves from cold and wear warm clothes and use soup and coffee to keep themselves warm.

Medical specialist Dr Asrarul Haque said that a viral infection is spreading rapidly. He said that parents should not send sick children to schools so that other children can be protected from catching the viral infection. Citizens should wear masks when leaving home, he said.

Dr Ziaur Rahman, a family physician, who practices in private clinic in Rata Amral, a densely populated area of Rawalpindi, said that instructions have been pasted at the entrance of his clinic to prevent the entry of patients without wearing masks. He said that patients without masks were not being checked.

Currently, there is a lot of pollution in the atmosphere, until it rains, it is not possible to eliminate smog and pollution, he said and asked the citizens to take care of their health and use masks regularly.

Additional Medical Superintendent at Holy Family Hospital Dr Tanveer Ahmed said that there has been an extraordinary increase in the number of patients in the OPDs, including children, the elderly, youth and women.

In the OPDs, he said patients were being urged to sit at a distance and wear masks to prevent the spread of viral infections.

He said that patients were being instructed to use medicines regularly and take precautionary measures.

On the other hand, environmental pollution has increased to an alarming level due to continuous drought in the Rawalpindi division and Islamabad.

All the surrounding areas of Rawalpindi division remain covered in fog till 10 am in the morning.

The air pollution index of the twin cities has started sounding alarm bells.

Meanwhile, the Punjab ministry of environment has delivered a modern air quality index monitoring mobile van to Rawalpindi to monitor air pollution in four districts of Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock and Jhelum.

This state-of-the-art air pollution index measuring laboratory will monitor the air quality of Rawalpindi on Thursdays and Fridays at the commissioner's office.

This mobile van will continuously monitor air pollution for 48 hours in Rawalpindi. After Rawalpindi, this mobile van will go to Gujranwala on December 10 and monitor the air pollution there.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2022.