After suffering burns from hot water, one-and-a-half-year-old Araf was first admitted to Galachipa Upazila Hospital in Patuakhali on September 10, where the authorities referred him to Sher-e Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal for better treatment.

On the same day, he was admitted to the burn and plastic surgery unit of SBMCH.

However, Araf's father Shamim Hossain has alleged that the child is not getting proper treatment at the burn unit due to a shortage of specialist doctors, reports our 

Not only Shamim but most patients admitted there alleged that the unit was running without any specialist doctor. Doctors from other departments supervise the patients admitted here when they can manage the time.

As a result, many patients leave the hospital and head towards Dhaka for better treatment, said many patients and their attendants.

According to the hospital's staffers, since the previous head of the unit Dr Marukul Islam was transferred a month ago, the facility has been in a poor condition.

Seeking anonymity, an on-duty nurse said due to a lack of specialists, doctors refer many patients to Dhaka. As a result, half of the beds in this 35-bed unit are currently empty.

Contacted, Md Rejawanul Alam, assistant director of SBMCH, said a letter had been sent to the authorities concerned regarding the shortage of doctors in various departments of the hospital, including the burn unit.

"A proposal has also been made to set up a burn unit on the 10th floor. If the proposal is approved, patients will no longer have to go to Dhaka," he said.