Ashikur Rahman Rony, Brahmanbaria 

Brahmanbaria 250-Bed General Hospital has seen an alarming surge in patients presenting with measles symptoms, causing severe overcrowding in its pediatric and infectious disease wards.

Against an allocated capacity of only 29 beds across the pediatric and isolation units, 70 patients were admitted to the facility as of Monday, September 28, 2026. Facing a patient load more than double the official capacity, hospital authorities have been forced to accommodate the majority of patients on open floors and exterior corridors. Medical staff, including doctors and nurses, are struggling to deliver healthcare services under heavily congested conditions.

Hospital records reveal that of the 70 admitted patients, 65 are children while 5 are adults. Attending physicians noted that although measles symptoms are appearing across various upazilas, inadequate medical facilities at upazila health complexes are driving patients directly to the Sadar Hospital, escalating the daily patient inflow.

Relatives of admitted patients expressed frustration over the lack of available beds, voicing concerns that exposing vulnerable infants to unsanitary floor conditions increases the risk of secondary hospital-acquired infections.

Addressing the situation on Monday, Hospital Superintendent Dr. Ratan Kumar Dhali stated that managing 70 patients within a 29-bed capacity presents a severe operational challenge relative to current manpower constraints. He noted that strengthening primary healthcare services and isolation facilities at the upazila level could significantly alleviate pressure on the district hospital.

Dr. Dhali further reassured that despite the heavy influx, the hospital maintains an adequate supply of necessary medicines, with overall supervision intensified to ensure continuous medical care.