Pneumonia has broken out in an epidemic form in Jhenidah claiming lives of three babies in 48 hours and attacking several hundreds others.

Hospital sources said 59 babies aged between three and five were admitted in sadar hospital in a day. The number of admitted patients in the same hospital in last month was 244.

Kaliganj upazila is the worst hit area due to lack of physicians and medicines.

Guardians of these patients, mostly poor, are in anxiety as the prices of the medicines are also high particularly in Kaliganj upazila.

There is only one child specialist in Jhenidah.

Besides, serious lack of oxygen, nebulizer medicines and injections in emergency ward made the situation worst in last month, the sources further said. There has been a serious lack of beds in all hospitals.

Child Specialist Dr Alok Kumar Shah told that severe cold, negligence and lack of awareness about the disease are the main cause of outbreak of pneumonia, which is fatal for the children.

He, however, said that the situation is not grave. With change of weather, the number of pneumonia patients is decreasing, he added.

Another report from Pabna says: At least 50 children died of pneumonia, diarrhoea and other diseases in last one month.

Hospital sources said everyday hundreds of patients, rushed to the hospital where only 16 children beds are available.

Most of the patients had to stay on the floor and without medicine, including oxygen.

BSS reports from Rajbari: Health care in Rajbari is being seriously

hampered due to shortage of doctors.

Civil Surgeon of Rajbari Dr Golam Mohiuddin said there is only one medical officer in his office and there is no disease control and monitoring doctors.

Besides, seven posts of physicians in Sadar Hospital, 10 posts in Sadar Upazila, 15 posts in Pangsha Health Complex, seven posts of Baliakandi Upazila Health Complex and eight posts in Goalondo Upazila Health Complex have been lying vacant since long.

On the other hand, the operation theatre of four health complexes and hospitals has become useless due to lack of necessary doctors and equipment. Besides, the lone X-ray machine has been lying inoperative for the last few years. As a result people are being compelled to go to clinics and labs for operation and diagnosis causing financial loss to them.

Besides, poor people are being deprived of healthcare facilities, as they cannot afford the cost of treatment in the clinics. On the other hand, the rural people of Rajbari area are being cheated by the quacks everyday, local people said.

According to the local civil surgeon office there are 24 health subcentres in 42 unions of Rajbari, but most of these have no medical officers. Some sub-centres have medical officers, but they hardly attend there. Due to non-availability of qualified doctors rural people go to quacks for treatment.

According to non-officials there are over 250 quacks in different parts of the district and most of them are exploiting the rural people.