OUR CORRESPONDENT
SYLHET, Apr 09: Komolganj Upazila Health Complex in Moulvibazar is at present operating amid manifold problems, among which most prominent is acute staff shortage; much to the inconvenience of the patients coming from far and near to seek required treatment.
Sources said only two physicians are now treating 200 to 250 patients every day in the government-run upazila level healthcare facility.
The resident medical officer has been serving here for the past 16 years.
A number of patients admitted at the hospital said that they have to buy medicine from market, as the authorities do not supply it for free.
As the two cleaners cannot manage the entire hospital building, it remains dirty in many places, said some patients. The toilets are not at all cleaned regularly but the cleaners sign attendance register amid almost no proper supervision.
The hospital is supposed to have one resident medical officer, four junior consultants, two medical officers and a dentist, but only two junior consultants are posted here while the two other are serving in Dhaka.
No medical officer or dentist is there, that means only two junior consultants have to manage the 50-bed healthcare facility. Apparently, it becomes difficult for them to provide necessary service at the government-run hospital.
There lies an X-ray machine here, with no appointed technician to operate it. Due to absence of operators, X-ray, ECG or any other most important tests cannot be done, service seekers alleged.
Patients are forced to have their tests done at the private diagnostic centres outside.
As the post of anesthesiologist lies vacant, the operation theatre (OP) remains inoperative for a long time while many necessary medical equipment here
are getting out of order for want of maintenance.
Due to the prevailing staff shortage, the OT cannot be made operational.
Among the 0.3 million inhabitants of the upazila, there
are a good number of tea garden labourers too.
The common people are dependent on the government-run healthcare facility which was upgraded to a 50-bed one in 2018 at a cost of Tk 83.2 million (Tk8.32 crore) but the manpower problem has not been resolved yet to serve the inhabitants of the frontier upazila.
An official claimed that they have to work for longer time due to staff shortage.
Another official said seven years have already gone by, but the authorities have not yet appointed any medical officer or other staff members to run the entity smoothly.
The higher authorities are fully aware of the prevailing situation here, he said, adding they expect the authorities would resolve the staff shortage on an emergency basis.
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