Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Bangladesh’s largest public healthcare institution, is in a state of deep crisis. Overcrowding, insufficient staffing and severe resource shortages are threatening patient care at DMCH, leaving numerous people—many of whom have no other healthcare options—in distressing and inhumane condition. This situation demands immediate, complete reform to ensure DMCH can fulfil its fundamental mission—to provide safe, effective care to all who enter its doors.
The severity of the situation at DMCH is clear from the moment one steps inside. Patients lie on floors in overcrowded corridors, waiting for hours—or even days—for basic medical attention. This harrowing scene demonstrates the hospital’s struggle to serve around double its intended capacity. Alal Uddin, a patient with a serious head injury, had been waiting for a bed since October 4, a delay that undermines his health and speaks of the dire shortage of space and beds. Even those who secure a bed face significant challenges, as the limited workforce struggle to meet the needs of so many patients.
One of the most serious issues is the uneven availability of medication and necessary supplies. Families of patients are often forced to buy essential medications from outside pharmacies due to stock shortages at DMCH. In one case, the father of a young patient was forced to purchase an injection externally because it was not available at the hospital pharmacy, despite being on the prescribed list. Such shortages place a heavy economic burden on families who are already struggling and underline critical gaps in DMCH’s supply management.
The situation is further worsened by substandard sanitation. The hospital's few functioning restrooms are frequently dirty and clogged due to a lack of maintenance, a problem aggravated by the chronic shortage of cleaning and support workforce. Blaming patients for restroom misuse, as the hospital director suggested, overlooks the core issue—unsatisfactory staffing levels to manage hygiene in a rush time facility. Proper cleanliness in a hospital is non-negotiable, as it directly affects patients’ recovery and safety.
To restore DMCH’s capability of providing dignified and
effective care, the authorities
concerned must address these
operational weaknesses
Besides, the hospital’s food budget, which allocates only Tk 150 per patient daily, is completely insufficient. This quantity fails to cover the nutritional needs of patients, prompting calls from hospital management for an increase to Tk 200 per patient. This modest adjustment could improve the quality and quantity of food, contributing to better patient outcomes.
Compounding these challenges, gossip of families being asked for tips by hospital aides for necessary services, such as wheelchair assistance, expose a concerning lack of oversight and answerability. Although the authorities concerned have attempted to address these bad practices by dismissing involved staffs, these incidents prevail, eroding trust in the system.
The crisis at DMCH is symptomatic of bigger systemic issues in Bangladesh’s public healthcare system, from underfunding and workforce shortages to insufficient controlling oversight. To restore DMCH’s capability of providing dignified and effective care, the authorities concerned must address these operational weaknesses, from expanding resources and decentralising recruitment to enforcing ethical standards in patient care.
