Barishal hospital: Overcrowded medicine ward puts patients at risk

Patients and their families have alleged severe mismanagement, overcrowding, and poor healthcare services at the medicine ward of Barishal's Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH), which is currently operating out of a cramped five-storey building not originally designed to serve patients.

Harunur Rashid from Jurakathi village in Jhalakathi's Rajapur upazila brought a stroke patient to SBMCH on Monday. By Tuesday afternoon, he had yet to secure a bed for the critically ill patient, who was instead placed on the second floor of the makeshift medicine ward.

Another attendant, Abdur Razzak from Mehendiganj, said he had been desperately searching for a bed for two days without success.

"The elevators rarely work, and the number of patients is overwhelming. The bathrooms are filthy, and the entire ward feels like a garbage dump," he said.

Although the ward has a capacity of 300, it currently houses between 700 and 800 patients on a daily basis, several patients and hospital staff said.

The overcrowding has resulted in a serious decline in healthcare standards, with many patients receiving little to no medical attention, they alleged.

On June 30, family members of several patients formed a human chain in front of the hospital, demanding the medicine ward be relocated to the hospital's main building.

They claimed the ward's current location is unsafe and unfit to handle such a large volume of patients.

According to hospital sources, the ward currently accommodates patients suffering from dengue, kidney ailments, abdominal pain, and a variety of other conditions.

Initially set up in 2022 to treat Covid-19 patients temporarily, the five-storey building was later converted into the medicine ward. However, it lacks the necessary infrastructure and environmental standards for patient care.

"The building was originally intended for administrative use, operation theatres, and storage," said a hospital official.

Hospital Director Brig Gen AKM Mashiul Munir said while some improvements have been made, including adding new windows, the ward remains ill-suited for patient care.

"This building was never meant for housing patients. Around half of the hospital's total patients are currently in this ward. It lacks natural light and airflow, making it an unhealthy environment," he said.

He said the issue will be placed before the hospital's academic council and governing committee to explore possible solutions.

According to the Divisional Health Office, 442 dengue patients were admitted across Barishal division in the last 24 hours, of whom 79 are currently being treated at SBMCH.

Hospital sources confirmed that at least 700 patients including all dengue patients are being treated in the medicine ward, further straining the already overwhelmed facility.