Directives Issued for Setting Up Separate Wards, Cabins for Measles Patients
Photo Courtesy: Unicef.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has directed all government healthcare institutions to designate separate wards and cabins for measles and suspected measles patients. Additionally, specialist doctors must conduct rounds twice daily, including on public holidays.
This directive was issued today by the Hospital and Clinic Branch of the DGHS. Signed by Dr. Abu Hussain Md. Moinul Ahsan, Director (Hospitals and Clinics) of the DGHS, the instruction was sent to all medical college hospitals, specialized hospitals, district sadar/general hospitals, and ubanzila health complexes across the country.
The day before this directive was issued, on Monday, a report titled "Measles Spreading from Hospitals" written by Senior Reporter Muslima Jahan Setu was published in the inaugural print edition of the daily Agamir Somoy.
The report highlighted that children coming to hospitals for other treatments were contracting measles directly from the hospital environment. It also noted that deaths were occurring among these children. Public health experts stated that the way measles patients and general patients are treated together in the country makes the transmission of measles within hospitals inevitable.
In its directive, the DGHS stated that all hospitals must provide necessary medical treatment to measles and suspected measles patients, either by admitting them or through outpatient services. Adequate numbers of doctors and healthcare workers must be ensured in the measles isolation wards.
Only one guardian will be allowed to stay with or visit each admitted patient in the hospital. Furthermore, information regarding admitted patients must be uploaded to the server daily.