Rajshahi's 150-Bed Chest Disease Hospital Runs With Only Six Medical Officers; Main Lab Machine Broken for Five to Six Months

Rajshahi's 150-bed Chest Disease Hospital is operating amid a doctor shortage, broken equipment, a shortage of medicines and dilapidated infrastructure. At the centre, established in 1966, between 250 and 300 patients arrive every day for care from various areas of Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna divisions.

The hospital authorities said the scope of services has grown but the number of doctor posts has not. As a result, the authorities are struggling to provide outpatient, inpatient and round-the-clock emergency services.

The hospital's Resident Medical Officer (RMO), Dr Md Sharikul Islam, said the hospital has 10 doctor posts in total, of which the senior consultant post is vacant. He said six medical officers have to see outpatients while also keeping the 24-hour emergency service running.

Dr Sharikul Islam said the doctor shortage and the mismatch between posts and the scope of services are putting extreme pressure on them in providing regular care. He said patients would receive better quality care if the number of posts were increased.

Alongside the doctor shortage, a lack of diagnostic equipment has increased suffering over tests. A lab support staff member at the hospital said the laboratory's main analyzer machine has had problems for about five to six months, so tests other than RBS and electrolyte have been stopped.

According to that lab support staff member, various tests for patients were previously done at the hospital itself. Now patients are forced to get tests done at outside diagnostic centres at extra cost.

Patients have also expressed anger over the testing problems, medicine shortages and dilapidated building. A resident of Rajshahi city who came for treatment said the chest disease hospital looks very large but has very few doctors inside; on arriving, patients learn most tests are not done there, and medicines also have to be bought from pharmacies outside.

Acknowledging the limitations, the hospital's superintendent, Dr Moha Mojibur Rahman, said that despite manpower and equipment limitations they are trying their utmost to keep outpatient, inpatient and emergency services — all three — running uninterrupted with 10 doctors. He said the Public Works Department and other relevant higher authorities have been informed about repairing the broken equipment and renovating the building.