SYLHET, May 19: Sunamganj 250-bed District Sadar Hospital has long been plagued with various problems, including a staff shortage, which hampers medical services every day.
A staff crisis is affecting medical services in the public hospital where patients are being deprived of proper treatment, locals say.
The hospital authorities cannot provide treatment for seriously sick patients, they allege.
Besides, they just refer such patients to Osmani Medical College Hospital in Sylhet which causes extra costs for patients and their families.
Sunamganj District Sadar Hospital was upgraded with 250-bed facility in 2009, but it still is facing a shortage of physicians, technicians, nurses and other staff members.
Official sources have said only 30 physicians have been serving against 66 posts of physicians. Of the 36 vacant posts, 13 are of consultants.
These include senior and junior consultants for surgery, eye, ENT, anesthesia, gynecology, radiology, cardiology, dental and pathology.
As the physician concerned was transferred last week, ultrasonography has remained stopped. Surgery has also been stopped for long.
The posts of indoor medical officers and assistant registrars have been vacant causing sufferings for patients in the hospital.
Seventeen out of 32 posts of medical officers and assistant surgeons have also been lying vacant while 197 nurses are working against 254 posts. Thirteen have been serving out of 24 posts of cleaning staff members.
In most cases, patients are advised to buy medicine from outside while the poor and female patients are cheated by brokers.
As many as 64 class-IV employees have been engaged as the outsourcing staff members. But, many of them remain absent from work most of the time.
Officials at the hospital say about 400 patients get treatment here with the existing manpower every day.
The higher authorities were informed of the situation and also requested for quick posting of physicians.
Meanwhile, Sylhet Divisional Commissioner Abu Ahmed Siddiqui has expressed his utter annoyance in the sorry state of the hospital.
He asked the officials concerned to communicate with the health ministry to resolve the staff shortage and other problems in the hospital.
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