Islamabad - Hospitals in the capital have experienced a surge in visiting number of patients in first 10 days of Ramazan and majority of reported cases were about stomach infections, diabetes and heat stroke, health officials said on Tuesday.

The number of patients in emergencies of the hospitals has reached in thousands and mostly are from low income background, health officials told The Nation.

Talking to The Nation, Dr Shareef Astori from Federal Government Services Hospital (FGSH) said that the hospital emergency is daily dealing with around 1200 patients suffering from stomach and heat stroke problems.

He said number of diabetic and blood pressure patients has also increased because of long summer days with scorching heat.

He said mostly patients being received in emergency are suffering with gastrointestinal and food poisoning issues.

“The reason is overeating and consumption of unhygienic food,” he said.

Dr Astori said that labour class is being more affected because they work under open sky and then does not eat healthy diet during iftar. According to him 16-hour fasting has also increased blood pressure patients and diabetic patients because they have to take medicine after 8 hours.

“To avoid heat stroke, labourers must use wet cloth and work under shadow,” he said.

He also said that diabetic and sugar patient can avoid fast if there is risk on their health.

Similarly, Dr Waseem Khawaja at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) talking to The Nation said that hospital is receiving more than 1200 patients daily in emergency.

“80 per cent patients came with gastro problems while around 400 patients daily are dehydrated,” he said.

Dr Khawaja said that fried edibles in the market are becoming one of the main reasons behind rise in the patients of gastro.

He also said that diabetic patients should fast with the consultation of their doctor.

“Unhygienic food must be avoided and boiled water should be used during the timings of sehar and iftar,” he said.

Dr Khawaja also said most of the patients came after iftar timings because of overeating.

According to him, for the balance diet during the month of Ramazan, more proteins should be added and fewer carbohydrates should be consumed.

He also said that people from all income class are being hospitalised because of careless way of eating these days.

Spokesperson Shifa International Hospital Faiza informed The Nation that patients’ influx has increased during first 10 days of Ramazan.

“15 per cent patients increased in first week and most were suffering from gastro problems,” she said.

She also said that diabetic patients were given a diet chart before Ramazan to follow the schedule.