Jhenidah

Oral saline factory lying abandoned for 9 yrs

The oral saline factory built by the government in Jhenidah nine years ago has been lying abandoned for lack of manpower and equipment. The building is also being damaged due to absence of proper maintenance. Medical assistant and caretaker of Jhenidah oral saline factory Md Nazrul Islam said a generator weighing 16 tonnes and other necessary equipment supplied for the factory are kept in the store rooms. The grills, bathroom fittings, ventilation facilities, electric fittings and other equipment are also being damaged. Besides, at night, the building area is being used by drug addicts from the last few years.  According to sources, the infrastructure includes a two-storey factory building with about 12 rooms, For construction of the oral saline factory, one acre of land was acquired at Madanmohanpara in Jhenidah town in 2004 at a cost of Tk 98,37,680. The building was constructed by the BNP led government and was handed over to the Health Department in August in 2006, but it was not opened for functioning due to the change in government.  Later, it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2013. But there is no arrangement for electricity and supply of water in the factory till now. The only tube-well in front of the building has been lying out of order for long.  Md Ashraful Islam, a staff of Jhenidah sadar hospital, said there is only one saline factory in Jessore under Khulna division. In the event of sudden outbreak of diarrhoea, the required quantity of oral saline could not be supplied to the neighbouring districts like Kushtia, Magura, Meherpur and Chuadanga including Jhenidah. Taking the advantage of the situation private companies producing substandard oral saline have sprung up in those districts. Civil Surgeon of Jhenidah Dr Abdus Salam said he wrote to the health ministry asking for filling up the necessary posts and opening of the factory as soon as possible. But they are yet not get any response in this regard. At least 53 vacant posts are need to be filled up and few more equipment required initially to run the factory, Dr Salam said.

Jhenidah

Oral saline factory lying abandoned for 9 yrs

The oral saline factory built by the government in Jhenidah nine years ago has been lying abandoned for lack of manpower and equipment. The building is also being damaged due to absence of proper maintenance. Medical assistant and caretaker of Jhenidah oral saline factory Md Nazrul Islam said a generator weighing 16 tonnes and other necessary equipment supplied for the factory are kept in the store rooms. The grills, bathroom fittings, ventilation facilities, electric fittings and other equipment are also being damaged. Besides, at night, the building area is being used by drug addicts from the last few years. According to sources, the infrastructure includes a two-storey factory building with about 12 rooms, For construction of the oral saline factory, one acre of land was acquired at Madanmohanpara in Jhenidah town in 2004 at a cost of Tk 98,37,680. The building was constructed by the BNP led government and was handed over to the Health Department in August in 2006, but it was not opened for functioning due to the change in government. Later, it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2013. But there is no arrangement for electricity and supply of water in the factory till now. The only tube-well in front of the building has been lying out of order for long. Md Ashraful Islam, a staff of Jhenidah sadar hospital, said there is only one saline factory in Jessore under Khulna division. In the event of sudden outbreak of diarrhoea, the required quantity of oral saline could not be supplied to the neighbouring districts like Kushtia, Magura, Meherpur and Chuadanga including Jhenidah. Taking the advantage of the situation private companies producing substandard oral saline have sprung up in those districts. Civil Surgeon of Jhenidah Dr Abdus Salam said he wrote to the health ministry asking for filling up the necessary posts and opening of the factory as soon as possible. But they are yet not get any response in this regard. At least 53 vacant posts are need to be filled up and few more equipment required initially to run the factory, Dr Salam said.