Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) is drawing large number of treatment seekers from the district and adjoining areas, thanks to the development of medical services and overall environment there during the last one year.

"Following satisfactory services, the average number of admitted patients here has risen to around 2300, which was earlier 1700. The number of outdoor patients has nearly doubled, reaching around 3000," said Dr Lakshmi Nayaran Majumder, assistant director of the hospital.

The medical representatives of different pharmaceutical companies and brokers of clinics are not allowed to enter the hospital, he said.

Now a delivery at the hospital cost only Tk 300 to Tk 500 while a patient requiring surgery for the purpose needs Tk 1500 to Tk 2000, hospital sources said.

Brig Gen Md Nasir Uddin Ahamed

Twenty four-hour free pathology service is available there for a nominal cost, they said, adding that three separate wards for urology, neurology and burn and plastic surgery were introduced in a renovated form in last one year.

"During my service since 2004, I never observed such a tremendous change at the hospital," said Dr Chitta Ranjan Devnath, an associate professor and head of haematology department.

The positive change at the hospital started due to the initiative by present Director Brig Gen Md Nasir Uddin Ahamed who joined there in November last year, said Dr Motiur Rahman Bhuiyan, secretary of Bangladesh Medical Association's Mymensingh unit.

"Of course, support by the staff and doctors helped to make the hospital patient-friendly, providing free medicines, and necessary tests and medical procedures for nominal costs.

"But a vested quarter including those involved with many clinics, medicine shops and pathological test centres are plotting against the director, as the improved conditions at the hospital have affected their illegal business," said Dr Bhuiyan.

Recently a section of hospital staff in connivance with outsiders are engaged in a false propaganda against the director, to drive him away from the hospital, alleged several stakeholders.

Earlier the patients were forced to buy medicines from outside as massive theft of the essential items at the hospital was rampant, but now such a situation is rare, said a senior staff nurse preferring not to be named.

Abu Bakkar Siddique, a cancer patient from Gafargaon upazila in Mymensingh, was provided with required medicines worth Tk 30,000 from the hospital on Sunday, said his daughter-in-law Lima Akhter. 

The hospital environment is much cleaner now and the toilets can be used with ease, said several patients and their attendants.

Hospital Director Brig Gen Nasir Uddin Ahamed said they are going to introduce e-health card at the hospital soon, first of its kind in the country, to maintain the treatment history of the patient.

It will help to prevent overuse of medicines and wrong treatment, he said, adding, "I will continue to perform my duty with responsibility as long as I am here. I want cooperation from the society to make the hospital even more congenial for patients."  

Engineer Nurul Amin Kalam, secretary of Mymensingh Nagorik Andolon, a forum of civil society, said, "I recently visited the hospital and found its overall environment much better than before. We are supporting the MMCH authorities' bid to make the hospital a model in the country."