UNB, Bandarban :
Medical services at the seven upazila health complexes in the district are being seriously hampered due to an acute shortage of staff, including doctors and nurses.
According to a survey, there is one doctor against 3,700 patients at the hospitals, one bed against 1,115 patients and one nurse against 6,300 patients.
Health department sources said there are 108 sanctioned posts of doctors in the seven hospitals of the district but only 33 doctors are working there while the number of health assistants appointed there is 134.
Even there is no ambulance in anyone of the hospitals. Besides, in the Family Planning Department, there are 10 officials and employees, instead of required 17.
A total of 246 people are working at the hospitals as general staff instead of 273 posts sanctioned.
Dr. Mongtej, civil surgeon of the district, said though Bandarban General Hospital has been elevated to an 100-bed one, it is running with 50-bed facilities.
Eleven doctors are providing health services at the hospital instead of 21 while at the 10-bed Roangchhari hospital three doctors instead of 13 required are struggling to provide healthcare.
Meanwhile, there are five doctors instead of 13 in 10-bed Ruma hospital while two instead of 12 in the 31-bed Thansi hospital, three instead of 11 in the 50-bed Lama hospital, three in the 31-bed Alikadam hospital and three instead of 13 in the 31-bed Naikhangchhari hospital.
At the civil surgeon’s office, there is only one doctor appointed instead of six sanctioned posts and two at Sadar upazila health complex instead of eight.
People from remote areas take treatment from the medical camps set up by the Bangladesh Army and Border Guard Bangladesh.
Army and BGB provide medical services for free.
Besides, some private organisations, including RH Step, Surjer Hashi, Brac, Graus and Ekata Mohila Samity also provide health services in the district.
A joint venture of Bandarban Zila Parishad and UNDP also provide medical services in the district.
Under the leadership of a medical officer, 246 people, including 175 community health service workers and 48 community skilled birth attendants, are working to ensure smooth health services to the people.
Besides, 20 workers are engaged in medical services through mobile medical teams.
General secretary of Bandarban district unit Awami League and convener of Zila Parishad Health Affairs Convening Committee Kazi Mohamamd Mujibur Rahman said at least 131 people, including nurses, medical technologists and health assistants, were recruited through the Zila Parishad in the last five years while 34 employees in Family Planning Department.
