Dhaka, Aug 11 (UNB) – As the city is in the grip of dengue outbreak, at least 1,584 police personnel and their family members have been affected by the mosquito-borne disease over the last three months, official sources said.
Besides, they said, a police officer and the wife of a senior official died of the deadly disease in the capital.
Most of the dengue infected police members are constables and got admitted to Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital, said the hospital authorities.
They said 97 dengue affected police personnel and 22 other their relatives were receiving treatment at the hospital on Saturday till 2pm.
On July 31, Kohinoor Akter, a female sub-inspector of police at the special branch (SB), died of dengue at Mohammadpur’s City Hospital while the same disease affected Syeda Akhter, wife of Additional Inspector General of Police Shahabuddin Qureshi, who passed away at the city Square Hospitals on August 4.
Talking to UNB, Dr Md Emdadul Haque and superintendent of police posted at the Central Police Hospital said they are under tremendous pressure due to the surge in dengue patents.
“Though our hospital is a 250-bed one, we’re providing treatment to over 350 indoor patients, mostly police personnel and their relatives, for the last few weeks due to the spike in dengue cases,” he said.
Providing statistics, the SP said 1,584 police personnel, mainly constables and junior officers, and their relatives were diagnosed with dengue at their hospital in the last three months as of Saturday noon.
Of them, he said, 605 dengue patients -–386 police personnel and 219 their relatives–were admitted to the hospital.
Haque said the rest 979 police members and their relatives received treatment from their outdoor facility.
He said the total number of dengue-affected police personnel is almost 1,000 as around 65 percent of their outdoor dengue patients are law enforcers.
The police officer said though they are overstretched, they usually do not refuse any dengue patient unless those whose condition is very critical. “No dengue patient has so far died at our hospital.”
He also said most police personnel are getting affected at their homes, not at their barracks.
Haque also said they are getting dengue-infected patients mainly from Shantinagar, Rajarbagh and Mirpur areas.
As the government has cancelled the leave of doctors and other medical staff concerned, he said they have taken necessary preparations to provide uninterrupted healthcare services to patients, including the dengue-infected ones, during the eid.
A doctor at the hospital, wishing anonymity, said the number of dengue-affected police members is higher than any other professionals as there are many seized vehicles on the premises of every police station where Adese mosquitos can lay eggs at stagnant rainwater in the vehicles.
He said the police headquarters already asked the police units to remain aware of it and clean their offices and their premises.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Javed Patwary on Friday asked all the police units to undertake an awareness programme on dengue fever.
While addressing officials via an emergency videoconference with all metropolitan commissioners, range DIGs and police superintendents across the country, he also directed them to remain alert and keep their homes, offices and surroundings clean to check the prevalence of Aedes mosquitos.
Medical Officer at Central Police Hospital Dr Muhammad Monowar Hasanat Khan said they are admitting 25 to 30 dengue patients to their hospitals on average.
He said they dedicated a male and a female ward at their hospital for the dengue-affected people to take special care of such patients. “Our doctors have special training from the Directorate General of Health Services and they’re sincerely providing treatment to the dengue patients.”
Anima Rani Boidhya, nursing supervisor of the hospital, said they are overworked due to the rise in dengue patients. “We’ve the shortage of manpower, but we’ve to attend over 350 patients every day. We’re working 3-4 extra hours daily.”
