Patients at 250-bed Noakhali General Hospital are derived of medical facilities due to manifold problems including absence of doctors, certificate business, bribes for seat or bed allotment, supply of low-quality food, paucity of water and dearth of medicine.
Dr A B M Ahsan Ullah Khan, in-charge of the hospital, who is vocal against all these irregularities, remains helpless since he can hardly address the problems of the hospital, according to hospital sources.
While visiting the hospital anomalies were found in every department. Most of the doctors are busy treating patients at different private clinics and diagnostic centres instead of treating them at the hospital.
As a result, treatment-seekers, coming from faraway places, are being compelled to spend extra money to receive treatment from those private hospitals. Many a time, doctors remain busy with representatives of different medicine companies at their chambers.
On the other hand, if any patient is fortunate to get admission into the hospital, he or she has to pay bribes first to a hospital boy to help him reach to wards.
Without payment, patients can hardly get any bed or seat since s/he is at the mercy of nurses or ward-in-charges of the hospital, the sources said.
The admitted patients irrespective of male, female, adult or children face serious troubles including non-availability of emergency medicines and drinking water during the treatment period.
Some family members of frustrated patients complained about existing mismanagement in most departments of the hospital. The salient points are: low quality food supply; issuance of certificates by medical officers taking bribes through agents; and diverting patients to private clinics and diagnostic centres taking commission.
According to field sources, a doctor of Noakhali United (Pvt) Hospital reportedly charged Tk2,000 to Tk5,000 for pushing 40 milligrams of Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection to patients at his chamber.
But, the injection is available at Tk230 and the pushing charge is Tk500 at the General Hospital.
Dr ABM Ahsanullah Khan admitted some mismanagement at the hospital, saying attempts were being taken to overcome these problems.