RANGPUR, Apr 6 (UNB): A severe shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) beds at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH), the largest public healthcare facility in northern Bangladesh, is putting critically ill patients at grave risk amid limited access to life-saving support.
Hospital director Brig Gen Ashikur Rahman said that between March 01 and April 5, 29 of the 79 patients admitted to the ICU died - a figure that underscores the mounting pressure on the already stretched critical care system.
Despite serving eight districts in the Rangpur division, the hospital has only 10 ICU beds, far short of the growing demand.
Patients suffering from stroke, pneumonia, and other life-threatening conditions are among those seeking admission, many of whom remain in critical condition.
Doctors and health experts say the high death toll is linked not only to the shortage of beds but also to inadequate facilities, including a lack of modern equipment and trained personnel.
Saiful Islam, a resident of Domar upazila in Nilphamari, has been trying for weeks to secure an ICU bed for his critically ill wife, Arzina Begum. "After 24 days of struggle, we finally managed to get a bed," he said, describing the ordeal.
For many others, access to ICU care remains uncertain.
"Getting an ICU bed now depends on luck," said Sonali Begum, a patient's relative. "Many patients are being turned away due to a lack of beds. We can only wait and hope." Another relative, Zainal Ahmed, said the high cost of private healthcare leaves families with few alternatives.
