Gaibandha Sadar Hospital is beset by problems including a dearth of equipment and an eight-year shortage of staff including in medicine, pediatrics, and skin and sex diseases.
The complex is the sole provider of healthcare to the poor community of the area and around 200-250 patients attend every day from different parts of the district, including the char areas.
Patients allege that the hospital’s consultants do not attend to them regularly as they are practicing at private clinics and in personal chambers. Of the 10 consultant posts, only six are occupied and according to sources, the hospital authority could not retain its physicians for long as those who are posted, try hard to manage a transfer immediately after joining.
In most cases, the patients say, hospital authorities are also failing to supply medicines due to a shortage of supplies, forcing them to buy their own from markets at a higher price. The X-ray facility of the hospital has also been unavailable for a long time, compelling patients to seek the service of private clinics.
The patients say they suffer the most when the health complex authorities refuse to admit them due to a shortage of space. In 2003, capacity was boosted from 50 to 100 beds; however, patients say the standard of treatment did not rise accordingly and many complain of having to stay on floors and verandas in an unhygienic environment.
Additionally, the patients complained that the health complex toilets are always overflowing with human waste and garbage, and that they are compelled to arrange their own food due to the unsatisfactory quality of the fare served to them.
When contacted, civil surgeon of Rangpur Dr Ahad Ali said despite of repeated pleas through letters, the authorities concerned took no steps to fill the posts of doctors, nurses and other staff in Gaibandha Sadar Hospital.
The locals and patients have appealed to the relevant authorities to rectify the issues without a delay. L