2 Bogra hospitals limp for want of docs, medicines
This magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine has been lying inoperative for eight months at Radiology Imaging Department of Bogra Medical College Hospital, depriving patients of diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Photo: STAR
Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital (SZMCH) and Mohammed Ali Hospital in Bogra are struggling to provide treatment to a large number of patients due to shortage of doctors and other staff, lack of accommodation and equipment and inadequate allocation for medicines. "The emergency and outdoor departments have to arrange treatment of around 2000 patients daily but there is not enough allocation for medicines. Seven hundred indoor patients receive treatment on an average daily although there are 500 beds. Lack of adequate doctors and other staff add to the problem," said Brig Gen Shafiqul Islam, director of SZMCH. Vacant posts at the hospital include that of 29 senior nurses, 45 first class officials including four resident medical officers, seven emergency medical officers, nine assistant registrars and deputy and assistant directors. All the six posts in pathology department and seven of the 10 posts in ENT department are lying vacant for long. Five posts of sweepers out of a total 129 are also vacant. “I came to the ENT department on June 28 for treatment of my ear but the doctor saw me only three times during the last five days,” Nargis Khatun, 18, told this correspondent during a visit to the hospital on Saturday. Her parents alleged that she did not get proper care at the hospital. Hospital officials admitted the matter and said they have failed to ensure proper treatment due to shortage of doctors and other problems. The Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine worth crores of taka has remained dysfunctional for about eight months, said Md Jasim Uddin, the in-charge of the Radiology Imaging Department. "On an average we served 15 patients daily from different districts before the MRI machine was closed. The costly equipment needs immediate repair and proper maintenance for ensuring treatment of patients," he said. Thirty-one doctors' posts out of a total 71 in Mohammed Ali Hospital have remained vacant for long, hospital sources said. Fifteen of the 30 posts of sweepers are also vacant. Hospital authorities wrote to the health directorate several times asking for steps to fill up the posts but to no effect. One Tota Miah, 35, was admitted to the hospital on June 28 but he was yet to get any bed due to shortage of accommodation, his relatives told this correspondent on Saturday. "The emergency and outdoor departments have to arrange treatment of around 1200 patients daily but there is no allocation for medicines. Besides, we have to provide treatment to more that 275 indoor patients despite shortage of doctors, staff and resources," said Dr Md Abdul Hoque, civil surgeon of Bogra. The authorities concerned have been informed about the problems including shortage of manpower and medicines, said Dr Hoque.
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