Extreme heat making Banke children fall ill

By Siraj Khan,Nepalgunj, June 12:Children have been hit hard by excessive heat and hot air in Nepalgunj over the past few days. 

According to local hospitals, the number of children falling ill due to extreme heat and hot air is increasing. 

Doctors also said that an increasing number of children were visiting the local hospitals seeking treatment. 

Dr. Roma Bora, a paediatrician at the local Kanti Arogya Hospital, stated that due to the heatwave, 25 to 30 children visit the hospital for treatment every day. Most of the children are found suffering from fever, seasonal flu and diarrhoea. 

Dr. Bora said that children aged between three and eight years were affected the most by the hot weather. She advised that the children should not be allowed to go outside, should wear masks as much as possible, and should cover their mouths with their elbows while sneezing. She also urged their parents to provide them with soft and well-cooked food.

Another paediatrician Dr. Shakeel Ahmed stated that children are more prone to seasonal and viral flu during the current heat-wave. He said that fever; common cold, diarrhea, and stomachache problems were common among children. 

Dr. Ahmed explained that it typically takes four to five days for children affected by seasonal flu to recover. He advised them to consume home-cooked meals, drink plenty of water, eat clean food, and avoid exposure to the sun.

Likewise, according to Dr. Pratima Khadka Hamal, a paediatrician at the Bheri Hospital, more than 50 children affected by seasonal flu and viral flu visit the hospital's outpatient department on a daily basis. Among them, four to five sick children are usually admitted.

Similarly, Dr. Bishnu Kumar Thapa, a paediatrician at Care City Hospital Nepalgunj, informed that the number of children affected by seasonal flu and viral flu was increasing day by day. 

He noted that the number of sick individuals has decreased due to the closure of schools and suggested that they should remain closed for a few more days.

Most schools in Banke have been closed due to the extreme heat. As temperatures continue to rise, schools in Nepalgunj Sub Metropolitan City, Kohalpur Municipality, Khajura, Janki, and Duduwa rural municipalities will remain closed until Saturday. Many parents expressed relief in keeping their children indoors after the closure of schools.