The water ambulance service in the three haor upazilas of Kishoreganj has failed to take off due to negligence of the authority, poor quality of the vessels and costly operation.
As per the government’s plan to improve the healthcare services for the haor population, three water ambulances were given to Itna, Mithamoin and Oshtogram upazilas on August 16, 2012.
The idea was to provide emergency and fast services to the haor areas which are cut off from the mainland making it difficult for the residents to access basic facilities.
However, the ambulances were unable to serve a single patient in the last two years. Patients are still reliant on the engine-run local boats.
Administrator of the Itna Upazila Health Complex, Dr Md Israil Hossain said: “I am yet to get any concrete direction about the salary of the boat’s master, fuel budget and the fare. Hence we are not being able to use the ambulance. Moreover, due to its design, it requires high maintenance, which is becoming a problem. Hence, we have grounded it and kept the important parts in the store room.”
A recent visit to the health complexes of these three upazilas had found the ambulances stranded and left to collect dust. Some of them were turned into public toilets while some were just waiting to become scraps.
In the same year, 10 more water ambulances were also given to the haor areas of Sunamganj, Netrokona, Habiganj, Sirajganj and Barisal. A Dhaka-based Ms Cascade International Limited got the job to build these ambulances.
However, there are allegations that the company did not follow proper drawing and used poor materials. As such the ambulances could not be used in the haor areas.
Moreover, the water ambulances are slower and more expensive than the local engine-run boats, making them less popular with the haor residents.
Md Ershad Uddin of Itna upazila said: “The then Army Chief Moin U Ahmed gave a water ambulance to Itna hospital. But it was of no use due to poor maintenance and coordination. Now no one knows where that ambulance is. We are afraid these new ambulances will have the same fate.”
Another resident from Mithamoin said the water ambulances could be really useful for the emergency patients if the administration paid attention to its utilisation.
When contacted Civil Surgeon of Kishoreganj Dr Mrinal Kanti said: “The water ambulances are very expensive for the poor patients of the haor areas.”
Admitting that the ambulances were decaying day by day, he suggested handing over the responsibility to a non-government organisation in order to reap the benefit of the water ambulances.