Former General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League and Minister of Public Administration late Syed Ashraful Islam had established Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College Hospital in Kishoreganj with a dream.
However, that dream of his remained elusive. Although there are doctors in the hospital, patients allegedly do not get proper medical services there.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly called for ensuring improved and quality medical services across the country and the government has promised various facilities in health services as well. Yet the patients of Kishoreganj and other districts are being deprived of medical services due to lack of self-will of the doctors.
According to sources, there are a total of 122 doctors in the medical college and hospital. Despite the presence of professors, associate professors, assistant professors and specialist doctors, many patients are being sent to other clinics or private hospitals from the hospital.
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Patients with complex conditions are allegedly referred to different hospitals of the country. No medical board is set up to coordinate serious medical measures. It goes without saying that the medical waste is also not removed.
According to the aggrieved patients, there is no proper doctor available for treatment at the hospital. Although there are various equipments for treatment, they do not get any service due to doctors’ lack of will. Hospitals are always full of brokers. They are assisted by hospital outsourcing staff.
Besides, hospital’s outdoor and indoor doctors send patients to different clinics for examination. When concerned relatives look for help, the staff does not comfort or advice them. They desperately asked when the quality of medical services will increase! When will patients regain confidence in the hospital authorities? When the medical field will be self-sufficient from not dependent?
Addressing the sixth meeting of the Hospital Management Committee on last Saturday, Kishoreganj-1 MP Dr Syeda Zakia Nur Lipi said, “I am working day and night to improve the quality of services at Kishoreganj Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College Hospital. The post of director of the hospital has already been filled. Hopefully all the problems will be solved gradually.”
Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College Hospital Director Dr Md Habibur Rahman said, “The first condition for increasing the quality of medical services is to keep the hospital clean and tidy. The hospital is being cleaned and being kept tidy every day since I joined.”
“Non-Covid services were limited there due to the presence of covid-19 patients. Currently, the number of patients with coronavirus is declining and we have shifted non-Covid patients there. Almost 400 patients are receiving services every day now”, he added.
“The duty roster is being confirmed as well. Our biggest problem is the lack of doctors. The hospital has 52 doctors as against 116 posts. We have already contacted the department to fill the vacant posts and this process is continuing”, he said further.
When asked about why the medical board is not set up, Dr Habibur Rahman said, “Medical board does not always work. When there is a VIP patient or a more complex patient, the medical board is set up to see the nature of the disease.”
