The shortage of clean drinking water has become acute as the tube wells of the 250-bed modern Sadar Hospital in Thakurgaon have broken down. The shortage of clean water has increased the suffering of the hospital patients. As a result, the relatives of the patients are struggling to meet the demand of clean water for more than 500 patients admitted to the hospital. They are forced to go outside the hospital to fetch water from long distances. Due to the shortage of clean water, many patients have to drink dirty water from the bathroom tap at night.
However, authorities say that this problem will be resolved very soon.
According to sources at Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital, about 4/5 hundred patients are admitted to Sadar Hospital every day. And about 6 to 8 hundred patients receive treatment outdoors. To meet the pure water needs of patients and their relatives receiving treatment at the hospital, there are 4/5 tube wells in the hospital. Some of them do not have handles, some do not have nuts and bolts. Some of them have boring pipes for the tube well, but they do not have the main part of the tube well.
Due to the poor condition of the hospital’s internal tubewells, patients and their relatives were dependent on the small hotels and food shops on the sidewalks on both sides of the main gate of the hospital. The water from the tubewells of those shops and hotels was the only source of drinking water for the patients and their relatives. However, two weeks ago, when those shops and hotels on both sides of the main gate of the hospital were demolished in a municipal operation, the source of pure water for the patients and their relatives who came to the hospital for treatment was destroyed.
The relative of a patient named Asia, who came to Thakurgaon’s Adhunik Sadar Hospital for treatment at the gynecology department, said that she brought the patient 5 days ago. Every day, she provides medicine for her patient and food for 2 other relatives. Although this does not bother her, she is having a hard time getting clean drinking water. Every day, she has to buy water worth about 200 taka.
Another patient’s relative, Mainul Islam, said, “I have been admitted to the hospital for two days with my 3-year-old daughter. Since the hospital’s tube well is broken, I cannot collect water at night. In the morning, I have to fetch water from a long distance outside the hospital. Thus, all the patients are facing water shortage,” he said.
Relatives of other patients said that the water coming from the hospital’s pipeline is unfit for drinking due to dirt and insects. However, it is somehow possible to wash and mop with that water.
Firoz Zaman Jewel, superintendent of Thakurgaon’s 250-bed Modern Sadar Hospital, said, “We will solve this problem very soon. The tube well in front of the children’s ward has already been repaired and is being used. If the rest are made usable very soon, it will be beneficial for the patients and their relatives.”