Hospitals and health complexes in Sreepur upazila in Magura district are in a dilapidated condition, depriving the inhabitants of the area of basic medical facilities.
A total of 20000 people in the upazila are suffering as both the Sreepur upazilla health complex and Dariapur hospital in the area are running short of manpower and equipment.
There have been allegations from locals that doctors are irregular in performing their duties as they are engaged in working at various other private clinics in the area.
Locals also alleged that despite accommodation facilities being available for doctors in the upazila, most doctors choose to reside within the town.
It was found that a total of 13 posts for medical officers were vacant in the health complex as only four medical officers had been assigned against, despite there being 17 posts assigned to the complex.
Established in 1967, Dariapur hospital- the only hospital in the upazila- has only 31 beds which, according to patients, is an inadequate amount to service the population of the upazila.
They said they find it difficult to even get a seat after being admitted.
With no other options available, patients often end up on the floor of the hospital, patients said.
On a visit to the hospital, it was observed that the X- ray machine in the hospital has long been out of order. Despite repeated pleas from locals, no steps have been taken to ectify the situation.
Though the hospital has one pathologist, the pathological tests cannot be run due to a lack of necessary equipment, locals said.
Moreover, the generator of the hospital lies inoperative due to poor maintenance, a matter made worse by the fact that the area is prone to high levels of regular load shedding.
Locals said the patients really suffer when the hospital power is cut off.
On September 1, Johura Begum, a resident of Nalkhola village in Sreepur upazilla was admitted to the hospital suffering from diarrhoea.
Locals and family members alleged that although she was admitted at the hospital for 21 hours, not one doctor attended to her. As a result she died the next day.
Kazi Muhidul Islam, the Dariapur Union Parisad chairman, lodged a complaint with the director of the health department in Khulna about the woman’s case.
Following the complaint, Magura Civil Surgeon Shunil Chandra paid a visit to the upazila to investigate the matter. However, steps are yet to be taken in this regard.
Locals alleged that the upazilla health and family planning officer himself does not reside in the upazila.
Therefore, his employees remain without any supervision, they added.
When contacted, Shamal Kumar Das, the Sreepur upazilla health and family planning officer, would not comment on this matter. He however denied the allegations of doctor’s irregularity in attending to patients at the health complex.
Shunil Chandra, the civil surgeon of Magura, said investigations were ongoing in Johura’s case and that necessary steps would be taken upon completion of the investigation.
