Health centre in feeble health
A patient with lower abdominal pain and antepartum haemorrhage lies on the bed at Madarganj Upazila Health Complex in Jamalpur without healthcare.Photo: STAR
Madarganj upazila health complex in the district is miserably failing to provide proper medical services due to acute shortage of doctors, nurses and logistic support although it was upgraded to a 50-bed hospital from a 31-bed one on June 2 this year.
The hospital, now running with only three doctors, including the upazila health and family planning officer, a medical officer (MO) and another one on deputation, and five nurses, is struggling to provide treatment for a large number of patients in the upazila with around 2.79 lakh people.
Twelve posts of physicians including resident medical officer (RMO), surgery, gynaecology and anaesthesia consultants, medicine, paediatric and medical officers, and 11 posts of nurses including the nursing supervisor have remained vacant for about five months, said sources at the health complex.
Around 350 patients, most of them women and children, daily come to the hospital as out-patients with different problems including pneumonia, diarrhoea, typhoid, asthma, kala azar, urinary tract infection (UTI), acute respiratory tract infection (RTI), ante-partum haemorrhage (APH), post-partum haemorrhage (PPH), and accidental and assault injuries. Besides, 35-40 people suffering from serious diseases undergo treatment as admitted patients, said Medical Officer AMZ Kadir.
“But the patients specially serious ones are not getting proper treatment as we two MOs including Dr Shahnaj Parvin, who came to the health complex on deputation six months ago cannot cope with the pressure of so many patients. Often serious patients are referred to Jamalpur General Hospital for better treatment,” MO Kadir added.
Medical Officer Shahnaj said that 50-60 pregnant women come to her for ante-natal and post-natal check-up daily. Besides, patients suffering from UTI, APH, PPH and a good number of children suffering from pneumonia and RTI visit her to have treatment regularly.
“I cannot provide proper treatment to such a large number of patients. The hospital is in dire need of gynae and pediatric doctors. Besides, the authorities should create a radiologist post and provide an ultra-sonogram machine to support pregnant women for diagnosis of complications in pregnancy and other abdominal tests," Shahnaj said.
During a recent visit to the hospital this correspondent found that five-month-old Rumi, daughter of Amjad Hossain of Charboula village of the upazila suffering from severe pneumonia at the hospital bed, was referred to Jamalpur General Hospital for better treatment as there is no paediatric doctor at the health complex.
Poor admitted patients Shyamoli, 70, and Feroza Begum, 60, who came from Junail village with severe respiratory problem and lower abdominal pain respectively, alleged that they were not getting proper treatment at the hospital due to non-availability of doctors.
"After suffering from fever for 10 days, I came to the health complex but could not get any chance for treatment as the two doctors Shahnaj and Kadir were too busy due to huge rush of patients," said Abdur Rahman, 60, of Khilkati village, eight kilometres from the upazila headquarters.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Matiur Rahman said they are yet to open an Operation Theatre in the health complex for want of sufficient doctors specially surgery, gynaecology and anaesthesia consultants.
"Due to the situation, a large number of patients, particularly pregnant women, are deprived of operation facilities at a lower cost. We have written several times to the higher authorities concerned to fill up the vacant posts but to no effect,” he added.
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