The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Jhalakati

With 59 of the 90 posts of doctors lying vacant in different health centers in Jhalakati district.

Only 31 doctors are struggling to cope with healthcare service for about 8 lakh people in four upazilas in the district.

On an average, one doctor is available for every 26,000 people in the district.

Jhalakati district civil surgeon and Sadar Hospital sources said that Jhalakati district has one 100-bed modern Sadar Hospital in district headquarter, 3 upazila health complexes in Nalchhity, Rajapur and Kathalia upazila towns, one 10-bed hospital in Kirtipasha union of Sadar upazila, 5 sub-health complexes and 46 community clinics in different parts of the district.

Dr. Guru Das Sikdar, district civil surgeon, Dr. Nowsher Ali, resident medical officer in charge of Sadar Hospital acknowledging the facts said that 125 out of 552 posts of other staffs in the health services of the district also lying vacant.

RMO of Sadar Hospital said that this hospital was upgraded from 50-bed to 100 bed hospital in 2003, but still running with the previous manpower.

Thirteen out of 23 posts of consultant physicians and 12 out of 16 posts of sweepers lying vacant in this hospital and some times even pathologists doing extra duty of physicians in emergency section.

Kirtipasha sub health complex running without any electric and water supply lines and sweeper.

Nalchhity UHC was upgraded from 31 beds to 50 beds but still running with previous manpower and 8 out of15 posts of doctors in this hospital are vacant, said Dr. Nazrul Islam, upazila health and family planning officer of Nalchhity.

Beside crisis of beds, sufficient water and electricity supply, out of service of X-ray machine, bad condition of the ambulance intensified problems, he added.

Dr.Arobindo Kumar Dey, UHFPO of Kathalia upazila health complex said that the 31-bed health complex situated at Amua union , about 8 kilometers far from upazila town and patients from adjacent Bamna and Betagi upazilas of Barguna district also rushed to that UHC.

But the hospital is running with only 4 out of 9 doctors and all types of operations referred to other hospitals as post of anesthesiologist lying vacant here. Every day many patients were returning home without getting treatment due to lack of doctors, the UHFPO said.

"We have to serve both at outdoor and indoor although there are only four doctors against nine posts. As about 150 to 200 patients came for outdoor treatment daily we find it difficult to cope with the situation," said the upazila health officer.

"Sometimes visitors of patients become annoyed with us as we fail to give proper attention to the patients," he added.

Almost same condition prevailing at Rajapur upazila health complex running with only 4 out of 9 doctors, broken beds, out of order X-ray machine, said Dr. Md. Ismail Faruk.

However work for up gradation of this hospital from 31-bed to 50 bed, going on, he informed.

When contacted, Jhalakati Civil Surgeon told, "We sent several letters to the higher authorities concerned demanding filling the vacant posts but to no effect." "We are trying our best to provide health service to the people despite shortage of doctors," he said.

Rustam Ali Chashi, vice president Jhalakati patient welfare association, Anwar Hossain Anu, president of Jhalakati Sandhani Donor Club, said that shortages of physicians and staffs not only hampering proper modern health services in public sector, but also creating unhygienic and polluted environment in those institutions.

Prevailing of these conditions in public sector, not only depriving poor mass people from getting proper modern health services at low cost, but also helping mushroom growths of private clinics running without full pledged sufficient modern health service facilities and collecting highest cost from helpless patients, they added.