Despicable condition of DMCH

A few days ago, I went to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) to visit a friend. I have to say that in terms of hygiene, DMCH is in a very poor state. Almost all the beds had urine stains on them and the bed sheets were dirty. The floor was filthy and what was most disgusting was the sheer number of cockroaches, which were roaming around on the beds, walls, cabinets etc. At that time, my only thought was: how can people possibly survive in this place, let alone recover from illness? Even a healthy person would fall ill if s/he were to spend more than a few hours there.

The hospital, being the largest medical college hospital in Dhaka, is clearly under-staffed and poorly managed. There is also a serious shortage of beds and a lack of other facilities. Many patients who are unable to get a bed are forced to sleep on the hospital floor. A majority of the people of this country do not have the financial means to get private medical service, even if our politicians can. I fear that as long as our politicians can afford the luxury of travelling to Singapore, Thailand or US for their medical requirements, the medical facilities of Bangladesh would never improve.

Ashfaqur Amin
Dhaka