The 50-bed Nagorkanda Upazila Health Complex in Faridpur is running with inoperative medical equipment and acute shortage of doctors, nurses and other staff, causing immense sufferings to thousands of people of Nagorkanda and Saltha upazilas.

Although the health complex has the posts of 21 doctors and 19 nurses, there are only 12 doctors and 12 nurses in the hospital, sources said.

Meanwhile, the posts of three medical technologists (lab), two pharmacists, one statistician, three cooks, two ward boys, two office clerks and one peon remain vacant.

As a brand new X-ray machine remains inoperative due to lack of technologist, the patients have to go to Faridpur town for X-ray.

Apart from this, the 12-year-old ambulance does not give it proper service as it often remains dysfunctional, said hospital sources.

A large number of  patients with acute and lower abdominal pain, gynecological problem, respiratory tract infection, hand and leg fracture and other complications are being deprived of proper treatment from the hospital due to the prevailing situation,  said Mohammad Nurul Islam, upazila health and family planning officer of Nagorkanda.