Ensuring ICU service in district hospitals

Three years ago, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered the authorities concerned to set up at least one Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in all districts of the country. After that, a project to establish a 10-bed ICU in 43 district hospitals and 10 medical college hospitals was taken up. However, it is unfortunate that the project has not yet been implemented and district hospitals are still functioning without ICU facilities. Many critically ill patients die on the way while being brought to Dhaka city as there is no ICU in district hospitals. According to the media, there is no ICU service in the government hospitals in at least 22 districts. Some district hospitals have ICU facilities but they are now out of order. There are some state-run hospitals where ICU beds are not operational as they lack skilled manpower. Allegedly, it is quite impossible for most people to get an ICU bed in a government hospital if they do not have connections with powerful people.

Sirajganj General Hospital, a government-run hospital in Sirajganj, has a four-bed intensive care unit, but it is not operational now. When critical patients require ICU facilities, they are turned away by this hospital and referred either to private hospitals or to Dhaka city hospitals. It is quite disheartening to see such a situation of district hospitals. We urge the authorities concerned to look into the issue and take an initiative to establish an ICU unit in every district.

Tonima Nasrin Mim,

Student of Department of Botany,

Sirajganj Government College, Sirajganj,

tonimanasrinmim@gmail.com