Photo shows vaccine kit boxes are kept outside on the corridor's railing in the worn-out tin-shed semi pucca building of Haimchar Upazila Health Complex in Chandpur district — FE Photo CHANDPUR, Nov 14: Several hundred people of riverine Haimchar Upazila have been suffering acutely as the construction work of the new four-storey building of Haimchar Upazila Health Complex is yet to be completed, even three years after the stipulated timeframe.
Haimchar Upazila comprising of six unions has a total of 0.25 million (2.51 lakh) residents. More than half its total population are women.
As the upazila is surrounded by the Meghna River, most of its people are poor and homeless who encounter river-erosion every now and then in the remote char areas.
Ceaseless erosion by the Meghna River here and there in char areas is the major cause of their sorrows and sufferings. Proper treatment of various common and severe diseases is a far cry for the people, especially children and pregnant women in the remote areas.
Therefore, many sick men, women and children rush to the upazila health complex every day from the remote char areas by country boats and trawlers besides numerous others coming from remote villages.
The foundation stone of the hospital building was formally laid on June 19,1995 at a function by BNP lawmaker Prof Abdullah.
On May23, 1998, the then Home Minister Major (Rtd) Rafiqul Islam formally inaugurated the semi pucca health complex building as the chief guest which later became worn out.
Later, construction work of the 30-bed health complex building started in 2019 and was scheduled to be completed by 2021.
But the authorities could not yet complete the construction work of the hospital building, although long five years have already elapsed.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Md Abdullah Al Mamun told the FE the construction work will be completed within next few months (by early 2024).
He said, "Due to the inordinate delay in construction work, we all are facing problems. Half of the worn-out tin-roofed semi pucca hospital building was demolished in 2019 for construction work. Since then, the doctors and other office staffs have been working in the congested and small rooms of the old building of the hospital.''
Quoting the contractor's plea, he said, "Due to the price hike of construction materials all over the country, construction work of the hospital building remained suspended for long nine months."
Then, after many requests, the Ministry of Health and Family Planning has asked the contractor to finish the remaining work soon.
It is learnt, every day around 500 patients come to the hospital for treatment in the outdoor and emergency wards. It was observed by the correspondent that in one room, three to four doctors are providing treatment to the patients, sitting close to each other side by side.
Dr Md Abdullah Al Mamun said, "There is no arrangement of OT room, no operation, no X-Ray, no digital X-Ray, no ultra sonogram facilities available in this hospital. Nor any caesarian operation is also done in this hospital for the last five years.'' Pregnant women and emergency patients have to suffer immensely.
They are often referred to Chandpur 250- Bed Govt Sadar Hospital.
All the surgical operations are virtually done in the private clinics at high rate-alleged affected elderly man Ali Ashraf (70), his wife of Bishkatali village, Rupjan Bibi (55) of Janata Bazar and a few female patients from Gondamara village in this upazila.
It was observed for want of beds, four serious female patients have been accommodated in a small cabin room.
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