The only ambulance of Savar Upazila Health Complex has been lying useless for the last five months as there is no driver, causing sufferings to patients, particularly in case of emergencies at night.

Hospital sources said the government allotted an ambulance and a driver for the health complex. However, there has been no driver after the previous driver, Foyez Uddin, died this May.

"At least 15 lakh people, mostly garment workers and poor families, live in Savar upazila. For them, government hospitals are very important. You can imagine how much patients have to suffer if it [the hospital] has no ambulance," said Hamid Ranju, 55, a freedom fighter who lives in Genda in Savar.

The ambulance transported over 100 patients monthly on an average, said hospital sources.

"We have repeatedly informed the civil surgeon office about the problem but they are yet to give a solution," said Md Amzadul Haque, resident medical officer of the hospital.

The government rate for using an ambulance is between Tk 400 and Tk 600 for travelling to Dhaka from Savar, while private hospitals charge Tk 2,500 to Tk 4,000, said hospital sources. Government ambulance service is free for pregnant women. 

One Md Mahbubur Rahman struggled to take his pregnant wife to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after the upazila health complex referred her, due to no ambulance service.

Civil Surgeon of Dhaka Abdul Malek Mridha said the entire health department is facing an acute shortage of drivers but they are working on a solution.