Sagar Biswas :
The patients, especially those suffering from malignant tumor, cancer, viral infection, internal haemorrhage, neurological problem and other critical diseases, are now facing huge problem due to lack of diagnosis facilities at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital [DMCH].
Officials said that about 3500 patients on an average stay at the 2600-bed DMCH indoor every day. Besides, 3-4 thousand additional patients, new and old, rush to DMCH outdoor a day. At the same time, about 1000 patients daily come here to get treatment at Emergency Department.
Of the total patients, a major portion goes to other public or private hospitals due to shortage of bed and other facilities at DMCH, and it is a common scenario of this hospital for last few decades.
At present, seven costly equipments, out of a total of ten, at Radiology and Imaging Department for diagnosis and treatment are totally out of order. Not only that, the condition of Radiotherapy Department is also the same where two, out of three, radiotherapy machines are not working.
Strangely, the DMCH authorities have still not taken any initiative to activate the machines despite massive demand, though several hundred patients are now going to other private hospitals to take such medical facilities in exchange of huge money.
The patients who come from remote areas are the worst sufferers of the shortcomings, as the MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] scan and CT [computerized tomography] scan apparatus, used for diagnosing problem at some important organs such as head and brain, are unworkable.
At the same time, the X-ray facility at the emergency section is also very inadequate, which is now forcing critically injured patients to go to the other hospitals to find an alternative.
When contacted, Assistant Director [Admin] of DMCH Professor Dr Khwaja Abdul Gafur told The New Nation, “Now, some machinery, including CT scan and MRI scan, are out of order. We’ve taken initiatives to repair one of the equipment. But the repairing cost is very high. It is difficult to repair such equipment with our limited resources.”
“We need special budget with sufficient allocation to repair all machines in an urgent basis. We have already sent letter to Ministry of Health seeking fund. However, I hope the sufferings of patients will not be longer. Presently, the X-ray Department is working partially,” he said. According to officials, the number of equipment at DMCH, in comparison with real demand, is very poor. It needs at least three MRI and three CT scan machines to tackle the pressure of patients.
But in reality there is one MRI and one CT scan machines but these are also now out of order. It is not the end! Three Ultrasonography machines of Radiology and Imaging Department are not serviceable for several days.
Several doctors at the DMCH alleged that although the number of beds had increased over the years, other healthcare facilities have not increased as per requirement.
The patients are forced to make beds on the floor and in corridors due to shortage of space while the ICU support for the critical patients is also very limited. The air-conditioning facility at the hospital is also not enough to ease the sufferings of the patients, they said.
“Patients are coming from different parts of the country to receive healthcare services at the DMCH with various problems. Day by day, the DMCH witnesses an increasing number of patients while their sufferings are also increasing simultaneously,” said an Associate Professor and in-charge of a unit of the DMCH, requesting not to be named.
