August has just rolled past, and while the rain in the streets of Phnom Penh hasn't quite dried up yet, the National Pediatric Hospital is already packed with anxious parents. In August alone, over 9,600 infants and young children came through its doors seeking treatment for dengue fever. Hospital beds are in such short supply that two kids sharing a single bed is a common sight, and extra beds have even been set up outside the wards.
According to local media, the hospital treated nearly 148,000 children in total over the course of August. Outpatient departments handled more than 100,000 of them, while over 29,000 cases were severe enough to require admission. Staff also performed more than 3,000 surgeries during the month, including over 100 heart operations.
With the rainy season still in full swing, puddles in the streets and jars of standing water around neighborhoods have turned into breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Local health authorities are urging residents to clear out stagnant water around their homes and communities, reminding everyone that keeping mosquitoes at bay takes a bit of everyday vigilance.
