Medicare services in Barisal are largely being hampered as most of the physicians and nurses went on Eid vacation on Thursday.
Hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres in the city have been in a vacation mood since Tuesday following Durga Puja and Eid-ul-Azha.
During the week-long vacation, only a few doctors and staffs will be available at Barisal Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH), the largest medical service provider in the region.
Around 76% of the doctors and nurses of SBMCH would remain out of station during this period, said hospital sources.
One hundred and thirty-six out of 149 intern doctors, 158 out of 175 registrars, assistant registers, emergency unit medical officers and 284 out of 429 staff nurses are already out of station for Eid celebrations, said Dr Qamrul Islam Selim, director of SBMCH.
“We cannot deny them the right to leave during Eid. Doctors and nurses of other religion and city residents will be available,” he said.
“Generally 1,300-1,500 patients receive treatment in the indoor unit of this 500-bed hospital every day. However, during Eid holidays the number of admitted patients remain from 900-1,000,” said the director.
“The upazila level clinics and hospitals have made special but limited arrangements to offer health services and usually they refer the patients to district and divisional level hospitals during this period,” Dr ATM Mizanur Rahman, district civil surgeon, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Shortage of manpower would not affect much as number of patients will reduce during Eid vacation and fewer doctors and nurses can manage emergencies, said hospital officials.
