No working ventilators at ICU for 3 months

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Chattogram General Hospital (CGH) has been running without a single ventilator for over three months, failing to provide full-fledged services to critical patients.

Of the hospital's 22 ventilators, none are currently operational. Meanwhile, only five out of 27 BiPAP (bilevel positive airway pressure) machines are functional.

There is already an acute shortage of ICU facilities in Chattogram, with the service available in only two government hospitals -- Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and CGH -- and a handful of private hospitals. Of these, CMCH and CGH offer the service almost free of cost, while private hospitals charge around Tk 10,000–20,000 per day.

As a result, the ICU at the 250-bed CGH is usually overwhelmed with critical patients. However, over the past three months, the hospital has not been admitting such patients due to the non-functional ventilators.

Many patients, especially from low- and middle-income backgrounds, are being compelled to bear the financial burden of availing ICU facilities at private hospitals.

"A ventilator is an integral part of ICU that helps patients breathe when they are unable to do so on their own. It works by pushing oxygen-rich air into the lungs, either through a breathing tube inserted into the windpipe or a mask," said Dr Harun-ur-Rashid, ICU expert and head of Anaesthesia and ICU at CMCH.

During a recent visit, this correspondent found most ICU beds at CGH vacant. Four patients were admitted to the 10-bed ICU-1, while the eight-bed ICU-2 was closed.

"My brother is a patient of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Recently his condition deteriorated, so we admitted him to the hospital. However, the doctors said he needs ventilation, which is unavailable here at present. So, he will need to be shifted to another hospital. Availing an ICU bed at CMCH is extremely difficult, while we can't afford the cost in private hospitals. I honestly don't know what we should do," said Rashed Mahmud, an attendant of a patient at CGH.

Dr Moumita Das, a consultant at CGH's ICU, said they are currently unable to admit patients requiring life support.

"All the 22 ventilators are non-operational. Also, out of 27 BiPAP machines, now only five are working. Therefore, those requiring ventilation are referred to hospitals with fully equipped ICU facilities," she said.

The ICU at CGH was introduced by the government during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 to treat critical patients, in phases with 18 ICU beds and 22 ventilators.

A doctor at the hospital, requesting anonymity, said the ventilators and several other essential pieces of equipment are now out of order due to lack of maintenance and repairs.

Contacted, Dr Abdul Mannan, superintendent of CGH, said, "I have written to the higher authorities. A technical team from the Directorate General of Health Services recently visited the ICU and inspected the equipment, and opined that the ventilators could be repaired. They assured us of starting the repair works very soon."

He also said the ICU is struggling with a severe manpower shortage, including the posts of medical officer and trained nurses. "I have also informed the authorities in this regard," he added.