The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

More than fifty percent shortage of internee and huge vacancies in other posts of doctors is creating miserable condition in indoor and outdoor health services at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

Dr. Mohaddes Hossain and Dr. Abdul Khalek Sikdar, Director and Deputy Director of the hospital, acknowledging the fact said that they informed higher authorities about the crisis.

SBMCH sources said the indoor health services of the hospital with 40 units in 20 wards mainly depended on the internee doctors and needed at least 160 internee doctors for 24 hours duty in four shifts.

But the hospital has 149 posts for interneeship and now only 79 are engaged in duty.

This crisis became acute because of session jam, changes in curriculum and duration of selection of final year passed medical students for interneeship in other hospitals than SBMCH due to lack of infrastructural facilities.

Interneeship crisis may continue for next three months till starting of new interneeship course, the SBCH officials added. On the other hand, 8 out of 20 posts of registrars, 12 out of 40 posts of assistant registrars, 7 out of 40 medical officers in 40 units of 20 wards of the hospital are lying vacant.

Rest 73 senior and junior doctors with the help of internee doctors are responsible for the indoor treatment of admitted average 1200 patients of the hospital.

During the night and vacation days the crisis became so acute that patients have to wait for the daylight and working days to receive proper health care and services from the doctors as many of them do not reside at the campus.

Daily about 1800-2000 patients came to outdoor of the hospital for taking treatment including emergency services.

Only 33 doctors are appointed for treatment of this huge number of patients and daily average, one fourth of the outdoor doctors are found absent in their seats either enjoying leave or engaged in other duties.

Seven out of 28 posts of resident medical officer, 5 out of 10 posts of emergency medical officers, 2 out of 5 posts of pathologists, 2 out of 6 posts of radiologists and 3 out of 6 posts of anesthesiologists are also vacant in the SBMCH.