KHAIRPUR, May 3: The scourge of gastroenteritis is fast spiralling into an epidemic in the city with the Civil Hospital admitting more than 44 children suffering from the disease on Thursday.

The growing number of patients forced the 24-bed hospital to put two to three children on a bed and still many had to be lain on the floor after all the beds were occupied.

The patients included Mohammad Faheem, Rabul Chandio, Arbelo, Nadir, Tahira, Wahid, Rashida, Mushtaq Shah, Qadeer, Rukhsana, Faraz Mangi, Sajjad Shaikh and Seema.

District Nazim Niaz Hussain Shah who visited the hospital and inquired after the health of children told journalists that he had received complaints about inefficiency of health department officials in providing medical treatment and due attention to patients.

The nazim, earlier, presided over a meeting, which reviewed steps to control the disease in the district and sanctioned Rs1.1 million for the purchase of medicines for gastroenteritis patients.