Our Correspondent :
Ramgarh Upazila Health Complex (UHC) has 50 beds on paper. There was only one Medical Officer (MO) posted for the 50-bed hospital bordering India in Khagrachhari district. Two medical officers from nearby upazila hospital have been given here in an attachment order. These three medical officers are on the roster of three days a week. As a result, only one medical officer stays in the hospital every day. With only one medical officer and two sub-assistant community medical officers, the hospital is providing treatment everyday.
There are operation theaters and testing facilities. However, despite all the arrangements, the equipment is lying in boxes in this Upazila Health Complex due to lack of manpower. Examinations do not work due to lack of manpower. This hospital does not have adequate manpower in various positions including specialist doctors, technicians, lab assistants and nurses. As a result, the operation theater is closed. Various medical equipments including X-ray and ECG have become useless.
This Correspondent of The New Nation visited the Ramgarh UHC and saw the picture of disruption of medical services and extreme mismanagement due to manpower crisis. Under the 31-bed to 50-bed upgrade project, a three-storey 19-bed main building with three and a half storeys, four-storey four-unit specialist doctors’ quarters, two-storey nursing and 4th class staff quarters were constructed at Ramgarh Upazila Health Complex at a cost of Tk 5.7 crore.
The operation theater is closed due to manpower crisis. Despite having all the facilities including infrastructure, the patients are not getting the desired service in the hospital. In 2006, an auto club machine was installed in the operation theater. Due to the lack of manpower, the operation theater was not started even for a day. No machines or equipment used. After upgrading to 50 beds in 2013, two more operation theater rooms were constructed in the extended building. Here too, all the necessary equipment, furniture and other equipments have been provided but it is in a boxed condition. Due to this, the new operation theater has not been launched yet. In 2005, 300mm X-ray machine was installed in the X-ray room. But it has not been launched yet.
In November 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 50-bed hospital. Although the building was inaugurated, no manpower including doctors has been posted here yet. According to sources, the 50-bed hospital does not have an Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer (UH&FPO), a resident medical officer, nine medical officers and a dental surgeon, 10 junior consultants and anesthesiologists.
Besides, there are two postings out of 5 Deputy Assistant Medical Officers. Besides, out of 14 posts of Senior Staff Nurse, 6 are vacant and only one post of assistant nurse is there. 5 posts of midwife are vacant. Two out of 3 posts of Medical Technologist (Lab) are vacant, Medical Technologist (Radio), Medical Technologist (PGO) Lab Attendant, Pathologist and Compounder posts are also vacant.
Every day 250 to 300 patients come to the hospital for treatment. 20 to 30 patients come to the emergency department which is open 24 hours a day. Those one medical officer and two sub-assisten community medical officers have to handle so many patients. That is why there is a lot of pressure on doctors.
