Nearly three years after its inauguration, Tangail Medical College Hospital has yet to become fully operational due to an acute shortage of doctors, technicians, and support staff, hampering healthcare services seriously.
Despite having modern infrastructure and advanced medical equipment, many essential services remain unavailable at the hospital due to a lack of manpower, forcing patients to seek treatment elsewhere, especially in Dhaka.
According to hospital authorities, around 1,200 patients visit the outpatient department every day. However, only 24 physicians are currently providing services there against an approved requirement of 105.
Several key departments, including Intensive Care Unit (ICU), ENT, ophthalmology, and orthopedic wards, are yet to begin operations. Although preparations for 10 beds in the 20-bed ICU have been completed, the facility remains unopened due to staff shortages.
While 36 technicians are required, not a single technician has been appointed yet. Indoor department currently has only 20 doctors against a requirement of 116.
The hospital also faces shortages in nursing and support staff. Authorities said 193 nurses are needed, but only 187 are currently employed, while an additional 200 nursing positions have already been requested. Only 37 cleaners are working against a demand for 210 personnel.
Critical diagnostic equipment, including EEG machines for neurological examinations, lab facilities for cardiac treatment, and angiogram services, also remain either unavailable or non-functional.
Hospital sources said cardiology department has 18 beds, but the lab could not be launched because of technical complications and manpower shortages. MRI services have also been temporarily suspended due to technical faults.
Patients and their relatives expressed frustration over inadequate treatment facilities, overcrowding, and poor sanitation.
Nurul Islam, a courier worker from Delduar, said his relative had to receive treatment on the hospital floor because no beds were available. “Despite being a medical college hospital, patients are still not getting proper treatment here. In many cases, we are forced to travel to Dhaka,” he said.
Another patient, Abu Sayeed from Nallapara village, complained about unhygienic conditions inside the hospital. “It is extremely difficult to stay on the floor, and even the bathrooms are dirty. Better cleanliness would at least provide some comfort to patients,” he said.
A recent visit to the hospital found long queues in the outpatient and emergency departments, while many patients in the medicine ward were being treated on the floor. Most admitted patients also had to purchase medicines from outside pharmacies.
Hospital Director Dr Abdul Quddus acknowledged the manpower crisis, saying the hospital requires 860 staff positions, while only 322 posts have so far been approved. “We currently have 55 doctors, though we need around 250. We have 180 nurses, while the requirement is between 400 and 450,” he said.
“Because of manpower and infrastructural shortages, we are providing services on a limited scale. Additional staff members are urgently needed to improve healthcare services,” he added.
Construction work of the hospital began in 2014. Public Works Department handed over the facility to the authorities concerned in 2022, and the hospital building was formally inaugurated virtually on November 14 in 2023.
