New hospital building lying unused for four months

SYLHET, May 18: The Tahirpur upazila Health Complex in Sunamganj district could not start functioning even four months after its formal inauguration.

Planning Minister MA Mannan, in presence of officials and locals at a function, inaugurated the upgraded 50-bed hospital on the remote frontier upazila on January 25 this year.

But still the inhabitants of the upazila have to depend on the old 30-bed hospital, said a number of locals.

Considering the increasing demand of locals and genuine requirement, the government decided for upgrading the health complex years ago. Things, however, did not work and the new project implementation took longer time than planned.

But the authority could not yet start operation of the newly-inaugurated hospital, said Tahirpur Union Parishad chairman Borhan Uddin. It is hard for only two or three physicians to serve an upazila hospital whereas the upazila's population stands at about 250,000.

The authority should immediately take steps for appointing the minimum required physicians and other staff, he said, adding, otherwise the locals' sufferings would continue. Especially the female and children have to suffer much for treatment the upazila's backward communication, said a number of locals.

Sources said, only two or three physicians have been serving the hospital although they are six in number.

Besides, there is an acute shortage of equipments, space and furniture etc for the medical officers and other staff on the old hospital building, said an official.

Of the six physicians, at least two have been taken to the Sunamganj District Hospital on deputation, sources informed.

The newly-elected upazila council chairman has already requested the district health authority for cancelling the deputation and sending the physicians back at the earliest.

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