Patients suffer as lone health centre remains shut for <i>haat</i>

The lone health centre at Dhaperhat is Sadullapur upazila of Gaibandha remains closed twice a week due to a make-shift market on its premises on those days.Photo: STAR

Dhaperhat health centre in Sadullapur upazila remain closed twice a week due to make-shift village market, locally known as haat, on its compound.
Several hundred vendors and consumers throng the health centre premises every Monday and Thursday causing untold sufferings to patients of the village as they cannot consult any doctor, said locals.
Talking to this correspondent, Dhaperhat union parishad chairman Shahidul Islam Shipon said, patients were forced to visit upazila health complex as the lone health centre could not provide services on those two days.
With weekly holiday on Friday, the health centre virtually remains shut for 3-4 days in a week, he added.
Amirul Islam, principal of Hingerpara School and College, said several thousand villagers virtually depend on the services of the health centre located at a triangular point of three upazilas.
However, they remain deprived of necessary treatment on those two days due to the haat, he added.
The authorities seem indifferent to the matter despite frequent prayers to resolve the problem, said health and family planning officer Dr Akhter Alam.
Contacted, upazila nirbahi officer Golam Mowla said, steps would be taken soon to remove the market from the compound of the health centre.