Gauripur Upazila Health Complex in the district has allegedly been struggling with various sorts of difficulties for long.
As a result, around six lakh people living in the upazila have been deprived from the medical service while the 30-bed hospital has been running without due manpower and service.
In some cases, the patients have been compelled to go elsewhere for better treatment, which inflates their spending vastly.
It was learnt that there are only five in lieu of 20 physicians and two of them also have been on a long vacation. Unfortunately, no paediatric and dentist was available in the hospital. On an average 10 posts of the physicians have remained vacant surprisingly for ten years, during which no specialist was appointed there as well.
On the other hand, currently only 10 nurses are regular in the 15 posts while about 45 posts of the whole manpower often remain vacant.
The suffering of the patients has increased more when they do not get ambulance service during emergency need owing to not having its driver for about eight months.
Despite having the X-ray machine out of order for long, its technician is being paid without any duty.
While visiting the correspondent, the patients alleged that service of the nurses were not satisfactory and the hospital ground was in shabby condition while the representatives of private pharmaceutical companies used to gather on the entrance to check their prescriptions and try to influence the doctors to suggest their medicines.
Acknowledging the aforesaid problems, acting Gauripur health and family planning officer Dr Hossain Mohammad Julfiker said he has been trying best to improve the sorry scenarios since getting the onus, stating which he earlier sent a letter to the higher authorities.
Moreover, he urged upon the authorities concerned to fill up the vacant posts on an urgent basis, the officer continued.