Winter blues: Chilly weather increases outpatient department traffic by 50%

Doctors advise everyone to dress warmly; in particular infants, diabetics, asthmatics and heart patients.

PESHAWAR: Due to the change in weather, the number of patients suffering from seasonal diseases has increased by 50% in the outpatient departments (OPDs) of the main teaching hospitals in Peshawar.

According to data received from the three main hospitals of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa - Hayatabad Medical Complex, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), in contrast to the increase in patients, there is a shortage of required medicines.

While talking to The Express Tribune the dean of Khyber Institute of Child Health, Professor Dr Gohar Rehman said that due to the dry and cold weather, the spread of seasonal diseases like asthma, pneumonia, chest and throat infections have increased. He explained that upper respiratory infections are viral infections which can affect anyone who comes into contact with the infected individual.



Dr Rehman said that 70 patients were admitted in the Medical A and Medical B wards of the hospital, while the number of children in the OPD had also doubled.

“Due to the shortage of medicines in the hospital and the market, patients are suffering because they have been compelled to purchase low quality medicines,” he said.

Dr Rehman suggested that all asthma patients should keep particularly warm in the cold hours of the night and early morning. He said that due to the carelessness of parents, many children were contracting pneumonia and advised everyone to wear warm clothes before leaving their homes.

A senior medical practitioner and chest specialist, Professor Dr Mukhtar Zaman Afridi said children under the age of five are catching colds quite frequently and advised mothers not to bathe infants daily.



“Asthma patients are more vulnerable to viral diseases and should avoid breathing in the fog during the morning and evening,” he said. “Those who go out early in the morning should use breathing masks and motorcyclists should wear helmets to avoid catching infections.”

Dr Amir Hamid in LRH said that allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis (running nose and breathing problems) and respiratory diseases are common among adults; while bronchial pneumonia is common among children in this weather. He advised diabetics and heart patients to take special care and wear warm clothes.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2014.