A naval ambulance was added to Bhola Char Fashion Hospital in April last year to provide quicker health care to people in isolated char area of the district. The naval ambulance was constructed with the funding of the Ministry of Health and Family Planning for the rapid relocation of pregnant women to the Upazila Sadar and crossing the turbulent Meghna River with improved services for dying patients.
At that time, MP Abdullah Al Islam Jakob inaugurated the coastal naval ambulance at Betua launch dock. But a year after the inauguration, the ambulance has fallen into the Kukri canal of Dakshin Charaicha police station of the upazila due to negligence and lack of supervision of the driver and the authorities.
According to hospital sources, there is no separate hospital in Char Fashion Sadar Upazila. Therefore, patients from 20 unions of the entire upazila including Sadar upazila get medical treatment in the 100-bed hospital. For this reason, the ambulance played an important role in transporting patients. The construction of the naval ambulance cost Tk 11 lakh 95 thousand. Capacity of this ambulance is 15 to 20 people. The naval ambulance provided very good service for the first month. But due to lack of government-appointed drivers, supply of fuel, budget allocation for maintenance and proper initiative to repair the faulty engine, the ambulance has been submerged in a lot of water at the Charakchhapia launch dock. At low tide it wakes up a little. When the tide comes, it falls under the water again.
Hashem Mahajan, chairman of Charkukri-Mukri Union, said people in the char area have to come to Char Fashion Hospital by tempo or trawler. This naval ambulance would have been especially beneficial if it had played an effective role in ensuring the health care of the people in the char areas. Therefore, we request the concerned to launch it as soon as possible.
Char Fashion Upazila Health Officer. Shovan Basak said, we have nothing to do in this regard. It doesn't work without drivers and fuel. We will inform the authorities about the matter.
