Even though there are 56 authorised posts for doctors, only 36 physicians are currently working there. The same is true for nurses: only 52 nurses are currently working against a total 86 available posts.
The absence of trained manpower means many of the hospital's equipments and critical medical facilities like the coronary care unit and neonatal intensive care unit remain unused.
Although it has only been a few years since the hospital opened its doors, the building itself is also experiencing different problems.
There are water leaks in the operation theatre, while a little rainfall results in water trickling all the way down to the first floor. Patients also complaint that the wash rooms are always flooded with water.
For patients with difficulty in moving, there is not enough wheelchairs or trolleys; neither is there any wheelchair ramp for emergencies in the entire four-storied building.
There is also discontent among the staff, as cleaners of the hospital have reportedly not received any salaries for the past nine months.
Despite all these shortcomings, the 250-bed hospital is providing healthcare to around 700 people who come to the outdoor facility every day on an average.
Several patients who were waiting on queue at the outdoor services told the Dhaka Tribune that they had to buy only a Tk5 ticket to see doctors at the hospital. Seeing the same doctors at their private chambers would have cost them Tk500, they said.
A patient who was suffering from abdominal pain said he had to pay only Tk200 for an ultrasonogram at the hospital, while the same test would cost Tk800 elsewhere.
Another kidney patient told the Dhaka Tribune that he earlier had to regularly travel to Sylhet for dialysis; but since the dialysis department opened at the 250-bed hospital, it has saved him a lot of money and time.
Several other patients praised the hospital's diagnostic facilities, saying that machines and the technicians were skilled in carrying out all medical tests.
The hospital, however, fails to live up to its true potential. There are plenty of equipments available, but no one skilled enough to use them.
The coronary care unit of the hospital is ready for use, but has not been operational yet. The same is true for a 15-bed neonatal intensive care unit.
There is no scope for an endoscopy, while the digital x-ray machine has been out of order for a long time. One of the two ambulances of the hospital also remains broken down, allowing an outside syndicate to pressure patients into using private ambulance services.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, the hospital's supervisor Dr Akbar Hossain Chowdhury said the Public Works Department has been repeatedly notified about the problems, but to no avail.
To start the neonatal unit, at least 15 trained doctors and nurses are needed, while the coronary unit would also require recruiting new skilled medical practitioners.
Saying efforts were on to pay the outstanding salaries for the cleaners, he added that doctors were following a roster now to ensure round-the-clock care.
Dr Akbar also claimed that the Moulvibazar hospital was being overlooked by the authorities; as an example, he pointed out that a 250-bed hospital in neighbouring Sunamganj had 200 posts for nurses, while the Moulvibazar hospital only had 86.
Saturday, March 15, 2025
