Chaumohani Union Health and Family Welfare Centre in Habiganj's Madhabpur upazila provides health services to nearly 40,000 people living in different villages under the union.

As surprising as it sounds, only one family welfare inspector provides services to several thousand healthcare seekers at this particular sub-centre.

Roksana Akhter, family welfare inspector at the health centre, said, "Lots of patients visit this health centre every day. I alone cannot provide services to so many people."

"If there's an emergency case, I do not even get the chance to talk to any other patient," Roksana said, adding that she needs at least one staff member to assist her when any child delivery is performed.

According to data received from the district family planning office, there are a total of 52 union health and family welfare centres in Habiganj.

Alongside minor diseases, these health centres mostly provide services to pregnant women and perform child deliveries.

When most of the private hospitals encourage expectant mothers to have caesarean sections, the union health centres perform 100 percent normal child deliveries.

In 2022, a total of 8,737 normal deliveries were performed at all the union health centres in Habiganj, while 8,816 were performed in 2023.

Till June this year, the number is only 2,161.

Staffers at health centres said the number of delivery cases would have been doubled if they had adequate staff members.

According to regulations, every union health centre should have at least 10 staff members in six posts, but in reality, most of them have only one or two employees.

Only 10 staff members are in service against a total of 52 posts of deputy assistant community medical officers in the whole of Habiganj district.

Moreover, as many as 60 family welfare inspectors are working against 101 designated posts because many of them, who are posted in the union health centres, are performing their duties at the upazila or district level while some are on leave.

As a result, people living in remote areas are being deprived of medical services.

Monihar Begum, who came to Lukra Health and Family Welfare Centre for treatment, said she was advised to take calcium tablets regularly, but most of the time there is no medicine available at the sub-centre.

Contacted, Sirajul Islam, deputy director (acting) at Habiganj District Family Planning Office, said though a circular was issued to fill the vacant posts, the current political situation is causing further delays to the appointment process.