Shahrasti Upazila Health Complex beset with multifarious problems

CHANDPUR, Dec 13: Shahrasti Upazila Health Complex in Chandpur district is plagued by manifold problems including staff shortage and absence of required machinery.
Due to the current bad shape of the government-run medicare facility, poor patients of the upazila have been suffering immensely for long.
According to the hospital sources, the lone ultrasonography machine in the hospital has remained out of order for over six months, inconveniencing necessary tests of the patients.
There is no gynecology specialist here for the past one year causing a lot of inconveniences to the treatment of women and girls' diseases.
Consequently, a large number of poor patients including pregnant women coming from remote areas every day return home frustrated from this hospital not receiving the required treatment to be availed at cheap rates.
There are 10 unions in this upazila having a population of around four lakh.
Despite it being a 50-bed hospital, the admitted patients always outnumber or double the available beds.
Patients crowd here in a large number expecting better treatment at cheaper rates as ultrasonography charge here is Tk220 only whereas it costs Tk1,000 or Tk1200+consultation fees Tk 500 in private clinics.
The health complex's ultrasonography lab staff Bimal Chandra Bhattacharya told the FE, "The ultrasonography machine has remained out of order since June last,( for over six months). It has not been repaired yet.
A notice has been pasted on the main door of the ultrasonography lab regarding the present condition of the machine to avoid facing unnecessary questions from patients.
Talking to the FE, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Aklima Jahan said, "The ultrasonography machine has remained out of order since June last. We have informed the higher authorities about this narrating the sufferings of poor patients of rural areas but to no effect."
She expressed the hope that very soon the problem will be solved.
Another major problem is that the hospital has been running amid an acute shortage of health assistants for a long time.
There are only 20 health assistants working here as against 44 sanctioned posts.
That is why the staff members including the existing health assistants have to encounter many problems in their day-to- day works.
Dr Aklima added the hospital's lone ambulance is also too old.
Dr Aklima Jahan told the FE that she had informed the District Civil Surgeon about the problems the hospital has been facing; but to no effect as yet.

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