MPs slam poor healthcare services
At least 14 lawmakers of ruling Awami League and opposition parties yesterday expressed dissatisfaction as people are not getting proper healthcare services due to poor state of upazila health complexes and district hospitals in their constituencies.
Speaking during the question-answer session at parliament, they also said there are shortages of doctors, nurses and other health staffers in health complexes and hospitals in their constituencies, hampering healthcare services badly.
The treasury and opposition MPs also said many doctors and nurses who are posted to upazila health complexes do not stay there.
In their speeches, AL lawmakers Dhirendra Debnath and Zillul Hakim said people in their areas were not getting healthcare services for lack of physicians and health staffers.
Another senior MP of AL, Shajahan Khan, said a 50-bed hospital in his parliamentary area was increased to a 250-bed one. But people did not reap the benefit as the healthcare facility has not required number of doctors and nurses.
"Earlier in parliament, I raised the same issue before the health minister and he assured me of providing the hospital with additional doctors and health staffers. But no measures have been taken yet."
AL lawmaker SM Shahzada said he was in a big trouble as the condition of lone health complex in Golachipa upazila in his constituency -- Patuakhali-3 -- was very bad.
The health complex was established a long time ago. Several buildings inside this health complex have been declared abandoned due to their dilapidated condition. People of Rangabali and Golachipa upazilas take treatment from this healthcare organisation, he added.
The lawmaker said, "I wrote to the [health] minister two and a half years ago for a new health complex. But I haven't got this yet."
Moshiur Rahman Ranga, Jatiya Party MP and opposition chief whip, said costly equipment used in kidney dialysis and cancer treatment has been remaining unused in a hospital in his area for years due to technologist shortage.
BNP MP Rumeen Farhana said due to the government inefficiency, the health ministry failed to spend a major portion of the money allocated in the development budget.
AL MPs Shahiduzzaman Sarker, Moazzem Hossain Ratan, Shahiduzzaman, Bikolpodhara Bangladesh MP Abdul Mannan, Gonoforum MP Mokabbir Khan and Jatiya Party MP Kazi Firoz Rashid also criticised the health minister.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque admitted that there is a lack of doctors and health staffers in different hospitals and health complexes.
He, however, said many doctors and nurses were recruited during the pandemic, and more would be appointed soon.
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