Patients at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) are suffering from acute crisis of safe drinking water as three tube-wells in the hospital compound have remained out of order for over a month.
While visiting the hospital a few days ago, this correspondent came to know that attendants go to nearby hotels to collect drinking water for their patients.
Patients said as supply water is dirty and smells bad, the tube-wells were the only source of safe drinking water. “We repeatedly urged the hospital authorities to make the tube-wells operational, but to no effect.” they alleged.
Supply water is used only for toilets. So, the attendants of the patients have to go to hotels and restaurants outside the hospital everyday to collect drinking water, said relatives of some patients.
Attendants of two patients--Aslam from Dinajpur and Subal from Nilphamari--said they have been collecting water from the nearby hotels for the last two weeks. “Sometimes the hoteliers refuse to give water or charge money for it. We face serious problem as all hotels beside the hospital remain closed after midnight.
Some patients said they have to purchase water from nearby shops as supply water is not drinkable. “We come to the hospital from other districts to get better treatment and other healthcare facilities, but the authorities concerned have failed to ensure safe drinking water for us” they added.
The patients have requested the hospital authorities to install more tube-wells in the RMCH compound to solve the problem of drinking water.
Contacted, Dr Golam Mostafa, director of Rangpur Medical College Hospital, said the higher authorities are aware of the problem. Steps will be taken soon to resolve the problem, he added.