Double blow for burnt victims

Burn patients at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) are in agony as none of the air conditions (ACs) is working since May 10 in the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit in the scorching heat.

The 2,000 sq feet unit has eight ACs and eight fans for 14 beds. But, the ACs, just repaired in last July, went out of order this year once again on different dates since April this year.

The last month had definitely been the toughest one for the burn patients at RMCH with only two fans and one AC serving to comfort their burns under bandages. However, the hospital authorities fixed all the fans within Monday.

Moreover, the atmosphere inside the room remains stale as the windows are fixed and cannot be opened, as the room was designed for central air conditioning system, and, therefore, air cannot pass through it.  

It is important to maintain a soothing temperature like 22 degree Celsius in the room of burn patients, otherwise chances of getting and spreading of infections increases due to heat and sweat, said a nurse.

A total of eight burn patients died from infections in last two months, the nurse said, seeking anonymity.

Now six patients were being treated at the hospital, she said.

Only ACs can provide a bit comfort to burn patients and help prevent such infections, she added.

Mamata Begum, mother of eight-year-old Sadeq Islam, said, “How a burn patient with bandage all over the body can stay in such hot summer without any means for air flow. A fine person will indeed become sick in this atmosphere.”

Sadeq with bandage wrapping his entire body beneath his neck is being treated for 50 percent burns. 

“My son yells in pain all the time. I am fanning her continuously, but that is not enough to comfort him”, said the mother, adding that ACs could have helped her child feel better.

Mamata said she informed the authorities on last Thursday about the pathetic situation they are living in but no heed had been paid. 

Abdus Salam, a resident of Ghoraghat upazila of Dinajpur, who has been undergoing treatment for the last 15 days for over 50 percent burns, alleged that the hot weather and the suffocated room with no air flow made his sufferings even worse. 

Meanwhile, Badal Ali of Uttar Mohespur area in Dinajpur Sadar upazila, who suffered 50 percent burns in a boiler explosion in Dinajpur on April 19 and was released last week from the same hospital after 45 days, said, “This is the lone reliable hospital for burn patients coming from eight northern districts. Such situation can ruin people's hope.”

Dr Azmal Hossain, registrar of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit, said he informed the director of the hospital immediately after the last AC malfunctioned in May. “We fixed two ACs”, he said.

AC is mandatory for burn patients, he also stressed.

Dr Moudud Hossain, the director, said he joined the hospital just a month ago. He along with his officials are identifying the problems of the unit and steps would be taken to fix the problems soon.

All the ACs were installed in July 2013 through tender process. The same team who got the tender were in charge of the maintenance as well for a term of three years which expired last year, Dr Azmal said.

For repairing the ACs now tender will have to be invited again which is a lengthy procedure and is one of the reasons responsible for the situation, said sources.