The 50-bed Upazila Health Complex is the only medical facility for about four lakh people in Nasirnagar Upazila of Brahmanbaria district. Due to lack of sufficient manpower, the residents of the upazila have been deprived of medical services for a long time. In addition, there are widespread complaints of poor quality food being served to patients. Equipment is breaking down due to lack of anesthesia. Out of 23 posts, 7 important posts including gynecology, surgery, children, dermatology, orthopedics, medicine anesthesia are vacant. The only government hospital in the upazila is providing health services to about four lakh people with just a few doctors.
According to the Upazila Health Complex, there are a total of 23 doctor posts in Nasir Nagar Upazila Health Complex. So far, 7 posts are vacant. In addition, there is only 1 consultant against 10 posts. There are only 19 nurses against 35 posts. 5 nurses have gone on assignment again. 3 are on maternity leave. Minor operations including cesarean are not being carried out due to the lack of doctors for anesthesia. There are 3 doctors against 15 posts of assistant doctors.
X-ray machines cannot be started due to the lack of 1 radiologist. Despite the availability of medical equipment in the Upazila Health Complex, X-ray machines are not being started due to the lack of medical technologists. As a result, the poor and helpless people of Nasir Nagar Upazila and neighboring Upazilas, surrounded by haors, are being deprived of medical services.
On visiting the hospital, it was seen that there was a long line of women, men and children in front of the doctor’s room as usual, coming from different areas for treatment. Patients coming for medical services stood in front of the doctor’s room for hours. In this regard, RMO Dr. Md. Shafiqul Islam said that at least 300 to 400 patients receive services from the outpatient department in this hospital every day. Among them, the number of female and child patients is more than that of male patients. However, due to the absence of several doctors, it is not possible to provide services to so many patients. As many important posts are vacant, the common people are being deprived of medical services.
A 70-year-old woman, Jamila Khatun, who came to the hospital for medical care, said, “I am old, I have back pain, I can’t stand up, I can’t walk, it’s very difficult to pray. I am a poor person and I came to see a doctor (orthopedics), but there is no doctor. What else can I do, I go home.” A person who came to get medical care for a skin disease said, “I came to see a skin doctor, but there is no doctor. I am going home without finding a doctor. I came to such a big hospital for treatment, to take medicine, but there is no doctor. Why does the government provide such a big hospital if there are no doctors?”
When I went to the hospital, I saw that patients from different areas were being treated in piles on the hospital floor due to the shortage of food. Apart from this, there is a daily shortage of medicine. At present, the number of patients is increasing due to the sudden appearance of measles symptoms. Every day, 20-25 people come to the hospital with measles symptoms and samples have to be collected and sent to Dhaka. Regarding measles, Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Aditi Roy said that so far 4 measles patients have been admitted. The number may increase. She said that 4 children are admitted with measles symptoms, we have already sent samples of 3 to Dhaka, and the sample of one more will be sent. We have started a measles corner for children with measles who come. We are trying to keep those who come with symptoms admitted in that corner.
Some of them are coming with measles-like symptoms in the outpatient department. Some are leaving after receiving primary treatment. Doctors are also counseling, we are trying to collect samples from there too. Regarding the overall issues of the hospital, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Aditi Roy told the reporter, I am a new employee, I have been trying to improve the quality of service in the hospital since I took charge. But many posts of doctors are vacant, there is a shortage of medicines, although the operation theater is operational, Caesarean sections cannot be performed due to lack of anesthesia. I have informed the higher authorities. Hopefully, the doctor crisis will be resolved in a few days. The current government will solve this issue quickly. Besides, I have sought the attention of the higher authorities regarding the manpower shortage, for doctors. The recruitment of doctors is coming up, I hope the authorities will take the matter into consideration. It will be possible to overcome the doctor crisis soon.
