Pirojpur Sadar Hospital: Patients suffer amid doctor, staff crisis

A severe shortage of doctors and staff is hampering healthcare services at Pirojpur Sadar Hospital, leaving patients to suffer.

Hospital sources said only 14 doctors are currently posted against 35 sanctioned posts, while 42 positions out of 171, covering second class, third class, fourth class, and outsourcing employees, remain vacant.

Of the existing doctors, some are assigned to male, female, and children's indoor wards, while others serve in the emergency unit. This leaves at best 5-6 doctors available to attend patients at the outdoor department.

From January to July this year, 1,10,985 patients received treatment at the outdoor department. During the same period, 46,603 patients sought emergency care and 17,372 were admitted indoors.

"The number of patients in the outdoor is very high because there are not enough doctors," said Mohammad Shahriar of Pirojpur town, who accompanied a relative to the hospital.

Sumon, a resident of Royerkathi area, said most patients coming to the hospital are insolvent and seek low-cost treatment, but sometimes cannot consult the required doctors.

"There is a huge rush, and we have to stand for a long time," said Tanzila, who came from Nazirpur upazila. "It takes over an hour to see a doctor after collecting the ticket," she added.

Dr Suranjit Kumar Saha, junior consultant (medicine), said, "A doctor has to treat far more patients than his capacity."

Civil Surgeon and Hospital Superintendent Dr Md Matiur Rahman said, "Doctors here attend over 600 patients daily at the outdoor alone. I have already informed higher authorities about the shortage and requested more doctors. Despite the crisis, we are trying our best to provide proper treatment.