KALIGANJ UPAZILA HEALTH COMPLEX

Acute shortage of physicians hampers treatment

The Kaliganj upazila health complex is being run with only a single physician. Even the X-ray machine there is lying inoperative for a couple of years.

Sources said the health complex was established in Foila area under Kaliganj municipality on three acres of land in 1967 to provide healthcare services to locals. But only a physician, out of the sanctioned 21, is now providing services to the patients in the 50-bed health complex.

Owners of private clinics and hospitals are doing brisk business by taking advantage of this situation.

The authorities concerned, however, have deployed sub-assistant community medical officers at the upazila health complex to tackle the pressure of patients. Rabeya Khatun, who hails from Suitala-Mallokpur area under the upazila, said she came there to be cheked by a proper physician, but an SACMO was providing treatment to her.

Another patient of Balarampur said she rushed to the health complex for the X-ray of her son. But the SACMOs informed her that the X-ray machine had remained inoperative for years. She had to arrange the X-ray from a private clinic for a huge amount of money.

Pregnant women are the worst sufferers as there is nobody to perform Caeserean sections. Sometimes the authorities conduct such operations by bringing surgeons from elsewhere. Some costly machineries and equipment are getting damaged because of being idle for a long time.

A number of patients at the health complex alleged that on-duty nurses frequently misbehaved with them.

Jahangir Alam, an SACMO at the emergency room, said they had been trying their level best to treat the patients.

Upazila health and family planning officer Dr Hussain Safayet said he had been managing the health complex with the cooperation of SACMOs. He expressed hope that the matter would be resolved within a short time.

 

KALIGANJ UPAZILA HEALTH COMPLEX

Acute shortage of physicians hampers treatment

The Kaliganj upazila health complex is being run with only a single physician. Even the X-ray machine there is lying inoperative for a couple of years. Sources said the health complex was established in Foila area under Kaliganj municipality on three acres of land in 1967 to provide healthcare services to locals. But only a physician, out of the sanctioned 21, is now providing services to the patients in the 50-bed health complex. Owners of private clinics and hospitals are doing brisk business by taking advantage of this situation. The authorities concerned, however, have deployed sub-assistant community medical officers at the upazila health complex to tackle the pressure of patients. Rabeya Khatun, who hails from Suitala-Mallokpur area under the upazila, said she came there to be cheked by a proper physician, but an SACMO was providing treatment to her. Another patient of Balarampur said she rushed to the health complex for the X-ray of her son. But the SACMOs informed her that the X-ray machine had remained inoperative for years. She had to arrange the X-ray from a private clinic for a huge amount of money. Pregnant women are the worst sufferers as there is nobody to perform Caeserean sections. Sometimes the authorities conduct such operations by bringing surgeons from elsewhere. Some costly machineries and equipment are getting damaged because of being idle for a long time. A number of patients at the health complex alleged that on-duty nurses frequently misbehaved with them. Jahangir Alam, an SACMO at the emergency room, said they had been trying their level best to treat the patients. Upazila health and family planning officer Dr Hussain Safayet said he had been managing the health complex with the cooperation of SACMOs. He expressed hope that the matter would be resolved within a short time.