Dearth of doctors, equipment plagues medical services in Lalmohirhat

LALMONIRHAT, Mar 04: Healthcare services in Lalmonirhat are being hampered due to acute shortage of medicl staff including doctors and nurses and necessary equipment for a long.

For lack of facilities, people of Lalmonirhat, one of the frontier districts of the country consisting five upazilas with population of about 1.5 million, are being deprived of necessary treatment.

The vast majority of these people are residents of the rural areas and Teesta and Dharla river basins.

They have no option but to work in farmland as except agriculture no industry has been developed here.

Lalmonirhat 50-bed Sadar Hospital is only healthcare provider for them.

A few years back, it was upgraded to a 250-bed hospital.

Despite the development, the healthcare facility is still running with the mappower of a 100-bed hospital. As a result, the inadeaute number of doctors and nurses are struggling to treat the patients.

As the services here are poor, in most severe cases, doctors refer patients to the Rangpur Medical College Hospital for better tratment.

Besides, after inauguration of the Dharla Second River Bridge, people from the neighbouring districts also come to the sadar hospital to receive treatment, increasing the number of outdoor patients.

According to hospital sources, 1,000-1,200 patients receive treatment from here every day.

But only 24 doctors against 41 posts are discharging duties while 63 nurses are providing services against 68 posts.

Most of the posts of medical technologist, sonologist, pharmacist, ward boy, lab attendant, cook and cleaner have been lying vacant for a long time.

Apart from these, due to lack of logistic support, service-seekers are to suffer a lot. Lone ambulance driver has to remain on duty.

Out of four ambulances, only two are functioning.

One X-ray machine out of three is working. Three ultra sonogram machines are out of order.

Dr Nirmolendu Roy, civil surgeon of the hospital, said the healthcare facility has been facing a number of problems, including shortage of equipment, modern machineries and manpower.

Though the hospital has been upgraded to a 250-bed one, it is running with previous facilities, he added.

Superintendent of the hospital Dr Ramjan Ali said "We have informed the matter to the higher authorities to make arrangement for required doctors and necessary machines to serve the patients properly."