Nine of the ten ventilators installed at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Gopalganj 250-bed General Hospital have remained out of service due to technical faults, leaving only one ventilator operational. As a result, the district's only government ICU has remained largely non-functional for more than five and a half years, depriving critically ill patients of life-saving intensive care.
Hospital officials said the government supplied 10 ventilators for the hospital's 10-bed ICU in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the equipment was installed, the ICU could not be fully commissioned as most of the ventilators developed technical problems before regular operations began.
Md Afsarul Alam, a resident of Bankpara in Gopalganj town, said affordable ICU services are essential for the district's residents.
"ICU treatment is beyond the financial reach of many people. The government established this ICU to ensure critical care at an affordable cost, but it has remained unused for years. We have learned that most of the ventilators became unusable due to poor quality. If our local MP, Dr KM Babar, takes the necessary initiative, people in Gopalganj will finally be able to benefit from this service," he said.
Gopalganj-2 Member of Parliament Dr KM Babar said the 10-bed ICU was among several units inaugurated virtually on June 14 by Health and Family Welfare Adviser Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain from Narayanganj Victoria General Hospital.
"All ICU facilities, including beds, monitors and ventilation systems, were installed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020," he said. "However, nine of the ten ventilators supplied to Gopalganj were found defective when the unit was being prepared for operation. I have discussed the matter with the Health Adviser, and new ventilators will be arranged as soon as possible so the ICU can become fully operational."
Hospital Superintendent Dr Jibitesh Biswas said only one ventilator is currently functional, while the remaining nine have developed mechanical faults.
"The ICU beds, patient monitors and other essential equipment are in working condition. The defective ventilators have been sent to the relevant engineering department for repair," he said.
Dr Biswas added that the hospital also faces a shortage of trained personnel required to operate the ICU.
"Steps have already been taken to recruit the necessary manpower and activate the unit," he said.
Gopalganj Civil Surgeon Dr Abu Said Md Faruk said all 10 ICU beds are ready for use.
"Measures have been taken to resolve the ventilators' technical problems. The ICU will be made fully operational as soon as the issues are addressed," he said.
The prolonged delay in launching the ICU has forced many critically ill patients to seek treatment at hospitals outside the district or at costly private healthcare facilities, placing a heavy financial burden on their families.
