SYLHET, June 30. Healthcare services at Balaganj Upazila Health Complex in the district are being hampered for various problems.
Established in 1963, the government-run health centre lacks minimum number of physicians and other staff.
The hospital buildings had already become dilapidated.
Scarcity of required equipment has been prevailing for long and many others are lying unusable for long years.
The healthcare service is being hampered as 73 posts had been lying vacant while 125 people are at serving at the complex, out of the total sanctioned post at 198.
Out of 17 class one posts, 11 are vacant. These include consultants for medicine, Junior Consultants for Hospital and gynaecology, Dental Surgeon and seven posts of Assistant Dental surgeons.
Six posts of class two officials out of 24 sanctioned ones remained vacant as yet including four of midwife and two senior staff nurses.
Forty three class III posts like Sub Assistant Community Medical Officer, Lab Assistant, Cashier, office assistants, Health inspector health assistant, pharmacist, radiologist etc are vacant at the health complex against sanctioned posts of total 138.
Of them 19 posts of health assistant has also been lying vacant.
Besides, 11 out of 19 posts of class IV employees are vacant. These include peon, Aya, security guard, ward boy, cook, gardener, cleaner etc.
The hospital's ambulance has been lying out of order since May 2006 while a new one reached the hospital months ago.
The lone X-ray machine has been lying inoperative since 2004.
A generator was brought in 1993, but went out of order after being used for only six months.
During load shedding of electricity, the hospital area turns a dark one as there is no alternative arrangement as yet.
An official, however, claimed they had informed the higher authority about the present situation of the centre, but things are yet to improve.
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