Going to the hospital in 40 degree heat

Hanoi Anh Son, 38 years old, holding his sleeping daughter in one arm and fanning himself with the other, sweating profusely, sat waiting in front of the Emergency Department, Bach Mai Hospital.

"I came to the hospital at 4am. It was hot and there were many patients, so I brought the baby here to sit and breathe easier. The fan was too stuffy," said Mr. Son, from Nam Dinh, on June 1.

He said that after lunch on May 31, the child complained of fatigue, stomachache and diarrhea, and taking medicine did not help. At midnight, the child had a high fever and convulsions, so the family hired a taxi to drive overnight to Bach Mai Hospital, worried that the child was poisoned. After examination, the doctor diagnosed the child with bronchopneumonia, otitis media, and diarrhea, and had to be hospitalized for further observation. In the hot weather, the child was irritable, crying, and refused to eat, so the parents took turns holding and comforting the child with milk and cookies.

Hanoi is in the midst of a hot and sunny day, with temperatures peaking at over 40 degrees Celsius and a UV index of 10 to 12 - a level that is very dangerous for the body when exposed directly. In hospitals, patients and their families are all exposed to the sun. In front of the Emergency Department of Bach Mai Hospital, people are sitting on benches, in the hallways, and at the base of trees. As noon approaches, the temperature gets higher, some people cover their heads with wet towels, pour cool water on their faces, and fan themselves constantly.

Ms. Xuan, 55 years old, and her daughter kept wiping sweat from the heat, their faces as red as tomatoes. She said she arrived at the hospital at 5am because she knew Bach Mai was always overloaded, but still had to wait for hours. Because she could not have a gastroscopy, she sat temporarily in a row of chairs opposite the clinic door, waiting for her turn in the afternoon, occasionally standing close to the door to get some fresh air from the air-conditioned room.

"Since last night I have had to fast and live on a few glasses of water. If I can't have an endoscopy this afternoon, I will probably be hospitalized because I am so sick and don't want to do anything," she said.

In front of the emergency room of Bach Mai Hospital, many patients brought fans to sit in the hallway, using medical records to block the sun. Photo: Minh An

The situation of relatives and patients being tired under the hot sun also happened at the Central Children's Hospital, Central Maternity Hospital, Xanh Pon Hospital, Geriatric Hospital, Post Office Hospital... Mr. Chung, 30 years old, and his wife take care of their sick child at the Central Children's Hospital, but only one person is allowed to stay in the hospital room. During the day, he wanders around the hallways looking for a place to rest but does not dare to lie down because of the sweltering heat. "The mat spread on the floor will wrinkle if you gently crumple it, it is as hot as lying on a coal stove," he described.

On the morning of June 2, answering VnExpress, Dr. Duong Duc Hung, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bach Mai Hospital, said that this unit is the last line so it is always crowded, with many seriously ill patients, especially in hot weather, the risk of stroke, heart attack, and high blood pressure increases.

Most of the hospital rooms at Bach Mai are equipped with air conditioning. The hospital also provides free water and a misting system to reduce the heat in the emergency and examination areas - where a large number of patients are admitted. Examination hours have been adjusted to be one hour earlier so that patients do not have to wait too long. "However, the harsh weather, hot from 5am to 10pm, is still hot, all measures only reduce the heat to some extent," said Mr. Hung.

A representative of the National Children's Hospital said that they had prepared heat-fighting equipment such as fans, tarpaulins, drinking water, and water for daily use, but it only reduced the heat somewhat. "In this weather, anyone who goes to the doctor is tired, everyone has to overcome it themselves," this person said.

At the Post Office Hospital, Dr. Nguyen Anh Dung, Head of the Cardiovascular Unit, Department of Emergency Resuscitation, said that the unit has installed air conditioning from the parking garage to all patient rooms. However, because the hospital is receiving too many patients from other provinces, the heat-fighting measures cannot meet the demand.

On May 21, due to the forecast of severe heat, drought, and water shortages due to the impact of El Nino, the Ministry of Health requested hospitals across the country to strengthen heat prevention. Specifically, installing canopies for walkways between buildings and outdoor areas where patients' relatives gather; adding fans and air conditioners, ensuring ventilation in waiting rooms, corridors, and treatment departments; providing free drinking water.

Experts recommend that people protect their own health and that of their families in hot weather, eat healthily, ensure adequate nutrition, and improve resistance. In the room, the air conditioner should be set at 27-28 degrees, not too cold or too hot. Regularly open doors and clean furniture to avoid creating conditions for viruses and bacteria to grow.

Do not use very cold water to lower your body temperature when it is too hot. Lower your body temperature gradually by resting in a cool environment, using a fan to cool down before taking a bath to avoid heat shock.

Minimize exposure to sunlight, especially the neck and shoulders. When going out in the sun, wear protective clothing, hats, sunglasses, and apply sunscreen.

People who work outdoors should schedule their work time during cool times such as early morning or late afternoon. Limit working in high temperature environments and avoid strenuous physical activities.

Minh An

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/di-vien-trong-cai-nong-40-do-4612420.html