VietNamNet Bridge – Hospitals in HCM City have seen a rise in recent days in the number of children admitted with respiratory infections, leading to a shortage of beds.
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Paediatric Hospital No.2 on Monday admitted nearly 1,600 children, including 500 with respiratory illnesses.
Dr. Trinh Huu Tung of the hospital said another 5,000 sick children on Monday visited the hospital, an increase of 1,000 over last week.
The hospital has only 90 beds so patients must share, Tung said, adding that beds had been set up in corridors as well.
In addition, more than 300 children with respiratory illnesses have been transferred to other wards in the hospital because of the bed shortage.
In an effort to relieve the shortage, children who live in HCM City have been going home in the evening and returning to the hospital in the mornings.
At the city's Paediatric Hospital No.1, more than 5,000 children were seen in the last few days.
On Monday, the hospital's respiratory ward was treating 256 inpatients with pneumonia and bronchitis.
Dr. Tran Anh Tuan, the ward's head, said the number of respiratory infections was expected to increase for another two months because these kinds of infections peak during the rainy season.
Like HCM City, more children are being treated in Can Tho and Da Nang hospitals.
Dr. Tran Chau, deputy head of Can Tho Paediatric Hospital, said that each day more than 1,000 children were being treated for respiratory infections, dengue fever, cholera and hand-foot-and-mouth disease.
On Monday, nearly 400 inpatients were admitted although the hospital has only 280 beds.
Also, beds had to be shared at Da Nang Hospital, where the number of inpatients at the 220-bed hospital was 408 in recent days.
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News
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