Staff crisis hits medical services in Shantiganj Upazila Health Complex

SYLHET, May 14: Child patients are being reportedly deprived of medical services at Shantiganj Upazila Health Complex in Sunamganj district due to its staff shortage.

Sources said there is no paediatrician at Shantiganj Upazila Health Complex, which compels the families of child patients to take to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital in the city.

The situation has turned for the worse as the number of children suffering from fever, cough, pneumonia, diarrhoeal and other diseases has increased in recent weeks.

Often, after days of treatment, the families of some patients have to transfer their children from the hospital to other large facilities, some locals alleged.

However, sources in the hospital informed that the posts of Gynecologist, surgeon, medical officer, dentist etc have been lying vacant since the very inception of the 50-bed health complex years ago.

Only five medical officers have been working here against a total of 18 posts. One of them has been on foundation training while another would soon be on maternity leave.

Against 20 posts of nurses, five are at work and four posts of maidservant had been lying vacant while there is no security guard.

The upazila-level hospitals can hardly provide treatment for patients due to lack of gynecologist and anesthesiologist physicians.

This is why they have to move to the distant facilities at much transportation and other costs. Besides, there is no arrangement for diagnosis at the government hospital.

An official at the hospital said about 250 to 300 patients come to the government hospital for various treatment daily, but due to a staff shortage, many of them are deprived of proper treatment.

However, the authorities started the 50-bed hospital as 20-bed one temporarily. It is also being used as a temporary campus of Sunamganj Bangabandhu Medical College.

With the total completion of work on some of the buildings there, their students move to the permanent campus. Then we would be able to make it fully operational, the official said.

The official further said, "Although we don't have pediatricians, we try to give treatment by medical officers to sick children."

However, the critical ones are referred to the district hospital or to the medical college hospital. The higher authorities have already been requested for gynecologist and pediatric physicians as well as for starting laboratory facilities.

Admitting the short supply of medicines, the official also says that medicare services are being hampered due to a staff shortage. However, he hoped that things would be resolved soon.

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