Hospital on verge of closure

Medical service in the Divisional Railway Hospital at Saidpur under West Zone of Bangladesh Railway is on the verge of closure due to shortage of doctors, nurses and other staff, and also unavailability of important equipment for diagnosing diseases.

The 82-bed hospital was established in1885 on three acres of land to provide treatment to about 20,000 family members of officials and workers of Saidpur railway workshop. It used to be crowded with patients taking treatment in the indoor and outdoor facilities even a few years ago as it was regarded as a reputed place for treatment.

In a recent investigation by this correspondent, it was found that the lone post of Divisional Medical Officer (DMO), who is also head of the institution, has been vacant for a year. Assistant Divisional Medical Officer (ADMO) Dr Shamim Ara of neighbouring Parbatipur Railway Hospital is working here on additional duty, but she comes only twice a week.

It was also found that only one doctor is posted here instead of the required six. He carries out indoor and outdoor duties and also does the daily administrative work.

There are only five nurses and one sister in charge, against 10 and two posts respectively.

In place of eight pharmacists there are only four, and there is no sanitary inspector. All the six posts of ayas are vacant and only 26 cleaners are working against 52 posts. There is no storekeeper, lower division assistant or upper division assistant, creating a chaotic situation. There is only one night guard against four posts.

As the building for conducting various pathology tests was declared risky by the railway engineering department a few years ago, no pathology test is done at the hospital, which compels patients to have all the important tests done in private diagnostic centres, which is very expensive.

The infrastructure of the hospital is also vulnerable as many doors and windows are broken and plaster from the ceiling sometimes falls on the floor.

Sources in the hospital said only five to six patients, on average, are admitted daily, and the rest of the seats remain vacant.

The lone doctor Dr Anisul Huque, who is serving on contract, admitted that patients are unlikely to come to the hospital as they do not get the desired service due to shortage of manpower, especially doctors and nurses, and lack of equipment to diagnose diseases.

Md Istiaq Hossen, a wireman in the powerhouse of Saidpur railway workshop, who admitted his son Arif to the hospital with various diseases, alleged that the treatment facilities in the hospital are not satisfactory.

General Secretary of Railway Workers' Union in Saidpur railway workshop Sheikh Robayetur Rahman said the then railway minister Suranjit Sengupta, while visiting the workshop on January 22 in 2012, declared that the railway hospital would be turned into a medical college.

Implementation of the declaration is a far cry, on the contrary, the hospital is on the verge of closure, Robayetur added.

Acting ADMO Dr Shamim Ara said she had urged the higher authorities to solve the problems of the hospital and expected that the situation would improve very soon as the railway department has undertaken various plans to upgrade service in the hospital.