A 50-bed hospital with only four doctors

The Baniachong Upazila Health Complex in Habiganj district serves as the lone government-run healthcare facility for around 3,50,000 residents of 15 unions under the upazila, including those from haor (wetlands) areas.

Although the number of beds available at the health complex was increased from 31 to 50 in 2019, no approval was made to meet its additional manpower requirement. The health complex currently has only four doctors. According to medical professionals, a 50-bed facility needs at least 17 doctors.

"We need at least 10 medical officers, one resident medical officer (RMO), and six consultants," said a high-level source within Baniachong health complex.

" We are failing to provide necessary services and facilities to the patients," he added.

While the post of gynecologist is very crucial to providing maternity care to women in rural areas, the post is currently vacant at the health complex. The post of assistant surgeon at the Union Health and Family Welfare Centre under the health complex is also vacant.

Although a junior consultant doctor (medicine) was posted to the health complex recently, he is currently working at Shaheed Shamsuddin Hospital in Sylhet, hospital sources said.

Similarly, of the 11 posts of assistant health inspector, only one is working although eight were posted to the health complex. Also, 19 of the 55 posts of health assistant are currently vacant. The facility has a shortage of nurses, medical officers, office assistants computer operators, community healthcare providers and assistant community medical officers.

Also, all the posts of pharmacists, lab technicians, and radiographers at the health complex are vacant.

"Due to a lack of technicians and radiographers, the hospital's X-ray machine has been lying in utter neglect and collecting dust over the last 13 years. As such, residents of the area have to go to Habiganj town to get an X-ray done, which is not only troublesome for the patients but also expensive," said Shafikul Islam, a local.

In case of any critical medical emergency, the patients need to be taken to Sylhet, about 100 km away, he added.

Shamima Akhtar, upazila health and family planning officer in Baniachong upazila, said, "If the manpower had been sufficient, there would have been no problem delivering the services properly."

Dr Nurul Haque, civil surgeon of Habiganj, said, "Higher authorities have been informed about the manpower crisis. Hopefully, recruitments will be made against the vacant posts at the health complex soon."