The two tube-wells, the only source of drinking water, at the Sadar hospital here have remained out of order for the last few weeks.
The pipe water supplied by the municipality is not safe for drinking. Now, about 300 patients at the hospital and their attendants have been suffering from acute shortage of safe drinking water. The attendants of the patients have to fetch water from tube-wells outside the hospital.
Sources at the hospital said in addition, about 500 people are taking treatment at the out-patient wards.
They said the two tube-wells, one near the children ward and the other at the main gate of the hospital, often go out of order.
Somsher Ali, an attendant of a child patient, said he is here for six days now and has not faced any problem but the water crisis. “There is no problem in supply of food and medicine here. But the lack of drinking water remains a big problem,” he said adding he requires six litres of water every day. Nahida Begum, mother of a patient, said her six-month-old daughter Laboni was admitted to the hospital on August 5. But, she has since been facing difficulties to fetch water from outside.
Resident Medical officer of Thakurgaon Modern Sadar hospital Dr Abdul Jabbar told this correspondent: “The two tube-wells have remained out of order for the last few weeks. Drinking water crisis is the most common problem of the hospital, he said adding the  two tube-wells often malfunction because of pressure.
He said the hospital needs more tube-wells to meet the requirement of drinking water. Civil Surgeon Dr Nazrul Islam said he would request the Public Works Department (PWD) to solve the water crisis of the hospital as early as possible.