Sylhet Correspondent :
Some important medical instruments at Habiganj Sadar Hospital have been out of order for six months, forcing patients to seek diagnosis at expensive private facilities.
Services such as taking X-ray or undergoing ultrasonogrpahy are not available at the hospital because of the breakdown of necessary equipment. The dysfunctional apparatus have not been repaired.
Many patients ironically said the hospital itself had become sick and need treatment.
Going to private healthcare centres for costly diagnostic services have hit the poor in the district the hardest.
The hospital authorities said they had informed the top officials in writing but no step had been taken to solve the problem.
They said patients would continue to bear the brunt of the anomaly unless the medical tools were fixed.
Rumana Akhter, who lives in Ujirpur village of Baniachong upazila, told the that she went to the sadar hospital to undergo ultrasonography but was not aware of the fact that the service was not available.
“I was later compelled to go to a private clinic nearby and spend Tk1,300 for this. I struggled to afford the money and it was of course an additional expense,” she said. Sajlu Miah of Bahula village said the hospital authorities did not appear to be concerned about the non-functional equipment at all.
“It has been six months and they did nothing. Hundreds of patients who need to take X-ray are returning from the hospital empty-handed every day,” he said.
Paresh Chandra Das, a doctor at the hospital, said he was hopeful that the inoperative equipment would be fixed soon.
“It is a pity that we are unable to provide medical care for patients seeking several diagnostic services because the necessary tools are not working,” he said.
The hospital’s caretaker, Dr Md Najibur Shahid, said ministry officials had been informed of the situation. “We are expecting that the problem will be resolved soon,” he added.
Some important medical instruments at Habiganj Sadar Hospital have been out of order for six months, forcing patients to seek diagnosis at expensive private facilities.
Services such as taking X-ray or undergoing ultrasonogrpahy are not available at the hospital because of the breakdown of necessary equipment. The dysfunctional apparatus have not been repaired.
Many patients ironically said the hospital itself had become sick and need treatment.
Going to private healthcare centres for costly diagnostic services have hit the poor in the district the hardest.
The hospital authorities said they had informed the top officials in writing but no step had been taken to solve the problem.
They said patients would continue to bear the brunt of the anomaly unless the medical tools were fixed.
Rumana Akhter, who lives in Ujirpur village of Baniachong upazila, told the that she went to the sadar hospital to undergo ultrasonography but was not aware of the fact that the service was not available.
“I was later compelled to go to a private clinic nearby and spend Tk1,300 for this. I struggled to afford the money and it was of course an additional expense,” she said. Sajlu Miah of Bahula village said the hospital authorities did not appear to be concerned about the non-functional equipment at all.
“It has been six months and they did nothing. Hundreds of patients who need to take X-ray are returning from the hospital empty-handed every day,” he said.
Paresh Chandra Das, a doctor at the hospital, said he was hopeful that the inoperative equipment would be fixed soon.
“It is a pity that we are unable to provide medical care for patients seeking several diagnostic services because the necessary tools are not working,” he said.
The hospital’s caretaker, Dr Md Najibur Shahid, said ministry officials had been informed of the situation. “We are expecting that the problem will be resolved soon,” he added.
