Doctors, staff shortage hampers medicare at 50-bed Nabiganj health complex

SYLHET, Aug 04: Although the upazila heath complex at Nabiganj in Habiganj district was upgraded into a 50-bed one long ago, yet the government-run hospital lacks minimum number of physicians and other staff hampering the medicare services.

The scarcity of required instruments in the hospital has been prevailing for long depriving the patients of various tests.  Still it runs like a 31-bed facility.

Although there are 22 sanctioned posts of doctors in the hospital,only five physicians run the busy hospital.

The higher authorities in the Health Department were informed of the problems time and again, but there had been no effective initiatives to resolve those yet, alleged a number of locals.

Seventeen out of 22 posts of physicians had long been lying vacant. Of the five working doctors, three have to manage the hospital and the two have to look after the union health complexes.

The vast upazila having a 0.5 million population is a busy area. Moreover, people from neighbouring Baniachang and Bahubal upazilas of Habigaj and others from neighbouring Moulvibazar district often come for treatment at the Nabiganj Health Complex due to easy road links.

Meanwhile, the authority failed to complete the work of the hospital's boundary wall as the contractor had to suspend it for disturbance by some local influentials. Litigation over the boundary with a neighbour stands in the way of completing the works putting the hospital area insecure, officials admitted.

Taking advantage of the situation miscreants committed two thefts in the staff quarters recently. One took place at a female physician's flat while the other took place at the quarter of a senior staff nurse. Due to open space on the hospital compound, anti- social elements and goons often create nuisance at night as there are no night guards.

The hospital is facing acute staff shortage. Only 12 nurses can't cope with the rising number of  patients.

Besides, the vacant posts include pharmacists, sub assistant medical officer, laboratory assistant, radiographer, assistant nurse, cook etc. In absence of pharmacists, the peon and other staff have to manage the job often, sources informed.

An official in the health complex said the higher authorities were informed of the acute staff shortage and other problems. Some physicians would be appointed soon, hopefully, he said.

About 300 to 400 patients are getting treatment at the hospital's outdoor department daily, the official claimed. 

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