Children visiting the sick at the hospitals.
During the visiting hours at IGMH, we see several kids going in and coming out of hospital wards, visiting members of their family and friends who are admitted for treatment. Their numbers are not small. I presume, based on personal observations that the numbers are high enough to be very concerned about potential pubic health implications of the practice.
Hospitals harbor a multitude of micro-organisms that have the potential to cause deadly infections. A significant number of patients across the world, are known to acquire very severe forms of bacterial infections during their stay in hospitals. Unfortunately, a very high proportion of them have suffered grave consequences as a result of such infections.
The pathogenic organisms (those with the potential to cause illness) are found everywhere within the hospitals. The walls, furniture, floor, files, folders, door handles, curtains, TV remotes or almost every other object within the walls of the hospital probably carry enough pathogens to propagate an illness. Most hospitals regularly run bacterial detection tests on swabs taken from such surfaces to study the nature of organisms that are residents of the environment. IGMH, and I presume ADK, too run such tests from time to time. Such tests invariably detect disease causing bacteria. While it is true that, based on such reports, various disinfection measures are implemented to try to cleanse the area, it is also true that despite the best efforts, these pathogens persist.
It is to this pathogen laden environment that many of our children are exposed to when they visit the sick at the hospital! Children, more so than healthy adults, are likely to acquire infections from this environment, or from the child or adult whom they are visiting.
I still remember, a few years back, IGMH used to restrict entry to hospital wards of young children to visit the sick! However, today I do not see such a restriction in practice. Several children, including some very young infants will be seen entering the wards as visitor, most with their parents.
Every few months, Male' has seen one or more epidemics of infectious diseases, especially among children. Among many other factors, I expect, if studies are conducted, the practice of taking children to hospital to visit the sick, would be a significant contributor to the spread of illnesses in Male'.
Having to take kids to the hospital to seek care when they are sick and unwell is important, but taking them to such an infection prone environment without a clear need for them to be there is irresponsible. While hospitals need to work on improving cleanliness, hygiene and infection safety within their premises for both patients and hospital visitors, we as parent, must too prevent our kids from being exposed to nasty hospital acquired or in-hospital transmitted infections.
I would urge parents to be aware of the potential dangers of this unhealthy practices and put a stop to them in the future. I also urge hospital administrations to review their policies and the implementation of the policies on children visiting the sick at their hospital.
This practice has got to be curbed again. Notices should be put up and the rules should be strictly enforced.
Health authorities should take note of this issue.
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This is very true. Most people falsely believe that hospitals, being the establishments that help cure the sick, are inherently safe havens from diseases.
Hospitals should warn visitors and I think implement policies that proactively discourage visits from adults accompanying kids.
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i always wondered why people do not carry out awareness programs about such issues, i don't think half the population can identify the risks of certain life style leading to a steep decline in health , smoking, drugs are more commonly advertised with their medical side effects, why not about diabetes? heart illnesses and why on earth is the only STI people are scared of are HIV and AIDs when other STIs are also of importance...
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Andhu, that is a very valid observation. Public awareness is very poor and the awareness campaigns that are conducted don't reach the masses.
The responsible government agencies need to review campaign strategies and come up with better targeted, further reaching and more effective programs. An honest dissection and scrutiny of the current public health awareness programs and the reasons they are not as effective as we need them to be would be greatly helpful.
It would also help if the public are more information and awareness seeking!
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