Although an announcement was made that Mohakhali DNCC Market will be converted into a general hospital, there has been no progress in this regard after even after six months.
For the lengthy approval process, the six-storey building built at a cost of Tk70 crores is lying almost empty and the resources of the building are being wasted carelessly.
At first, It was built as a wholesale market. However, seven years after the completion of the construction work, Mohakhali DNCC Market could not be launched due to various obstacles.
Later in 2021, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) authorities temporarily handed over the market to the Ministry of Health during the pandemic for the treatment of Covid-19 patients only.
Although there was a pressure of patients in the beginning, the number of patients also decreased when the Covid-19 outbreak subsided.
Later, the DNCC Mayor Md Atiqul Islam announced the treatment of dengue in this hospital.
At that time, he said, it will be made a into general hospital.
However, even after six months, DNCC has not taken any initiative in this regard.
DNCC says the plans for the general hospital are on hold pending approval from the Ministry of Health.
At present, an average of 20 to 25 patients come to the hospital daily. Among them, two to four are Covid-19 patients. The rest come here to seek treatment for colds, coughs and various infectious diseases including dengue.
As a result, this six-storey building is lying empty and being wasted carelessly.
During a recent visit, it was found that patients are being given treatment in two of the nine ICUs on the top floor of the six-story building. The rest of the ICU beds are lying empty. Apart from this, the wards made in the shuttered shops built for the market on the third and fourth floors are also closed.
Treatment is undergoing in one part of the big building but the rest of the building is covered in dust.
There are 157 outsourcing staff to maintain the hospital even though there are fewer patients. Besides, there are 60-70 nurses and about 25 doctors to take care of the patients, according to the hospital sources.
In this regard, DNCC Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital Director AKM Shafiqur Rahman said, “During the pandemic, there were a huge number of patients in this hospital. Later, when the Covid-19 infection decreases, the number of patients also decreases. However, even though the number of Covid-19 patients has decreased, we are still running all kinds of measures to provide Covid-19 treatment. Still three to four patients are admitted here every day. In addition to this, we are currently treating various infectious diseases including dengue on a small scale.”
North City Corporation Chief Health Officer Jobaidul Rahman said: 'DNCC Mayor has a plan to build a modern general hospital for the city residents in each of the 54 wards of DNCC in a joint venture between the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Government of Bangladesh. Mohakhali Hospital will also be built in that shape. It has come a long way. The survey work is already underway. Now, after getting full approval from the Ministry of Health, the Mohakhali hospital can be converted into a general hospital.”
Commenting that the general hospital will have all the necessary departments, he said, there is a building structure in Mohakhali.
“Now we will work on the renovation of the rooms in a modern general hospital with the advice of the architects.”
This health official of DNCC said: “We hope that Mohakhali General Hospital will also be done in the same way as Kurmitola General Hospital is working with great reputation. Similarly, the army will be given charge for the management of this hospital. And Dhaka North City Corporation will be under overall supervision with the cooperation of the Health Department.”
Meanwhile, additional secretary (hospital division) and additional duty additional secretary (public health division) Nazmul Haque Khan of the Ministry of Health said: "I cannot say anything about the conversion of DNCC Market as General Hospital. It is in the policy making stage. If they tell me something from there, I will be able to know. It will be better if you ask someone higher about this.”