Hot weather sees hospitals at fall stretch

The number of people, especially children and the elderly, who have gone to health centres in Hanoi have increased sharply due to the prolonged heat wave over the last few days.

Le Thanh Hai, deputy director of the National Hospital of Pediatrics (NHP) says that the hospital has received between 1,800 to 2,000 patients a day, almost double the normal day figure. However, last year the hospital received up to 2,500 child patients per day, he added.

Nguyen Van Lam, deputy head of the Infections Department at the NHP, says that the department is currently treating around 100 children, including 33 with encephalitis and the remainder with respiratory diseases and rubella.

Mr Lam warns that parents should take their children to hospital immediately if they have a high fever and are vomiting.

Sharing this view, Dr Nguyen Tien Dung, head of the Pediatrics Department at Bach Mai hospital emphasises that encephalitis is often mistaken for other diseases, so children should be hospitalised immediately if they show any symptoms such as a high fever, vomiting, and headache.

Mr Dung adds that the number of children going to hospital for check-ups or treatment at Bach Mai has increased by 20-30 percent, due to diseases such as viral fever, pneumonia, encephalitis and digestive disorders. This is attributed to the high temperatures which cause viruses to emerge and spread far and wide. Children can be easily infected as they can inhale any viruses that are present in the environment.

Dr Nguyen Trung Anh from the central geriatric hospital says that the hospital has seen a sharp increase in older people , up to 500, who have heart disease and other serious conditions. Some have been hospitalised because of low blood pressure, sunstroke and vasodilation. The number of old people admitted with strokes has also increased and some had died.

Dr Nguyen Trung Anh adds that to avoid diseases in hot weather, old people, especially those with heart disease or blood pressure should not go out into the sun and avoid big and sudden changes in room temperatures. He advises that room temperatures should be kept at between 25-28 degree Celsius.

Tags: Hot weather, Vietnam hospital