Khadimpara 31-bed Hospital: A mere name

No one replied when the gate of the three-storey building of Khadimpara 31-bed Hospital in Sylhet sadar upazila was knocked several times. The hospital looked empty from outside at around two o'clock in the afternoon on Sunday (12 February).

After a few more attempts, a young man rushed into the scene from a tea stall nearby.

Introducing himself as Sharif Mahmud, a fourth-class employee of the hospital, he said that the hospital gate is usually closed at 1pm every day.

"No patient is admitted to the hospital now. Doctors and nurses have also left. That is why the gate has been closed," he said.

In 2016, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the specialised hospital, which was constructed at a cost of Tk16 crore, aiming to provide modern healthcare facilities to the local residents.

Unfortunately, six years have passed since the hospital's inauguration, but it is yet to begin full operation. As a result, the people living in the vicinity are being deprived of essential healthcare services.

Sylhet health department officials said the hospital does not have any medicine or diagnostic equipment. There is also a severe shortage of technicians and staff, including doctors and nurses. Even after six years since its inauguration, indoor services have not commenced.

Moreover, although the hospital has an ambulance, there is no driver to operate it, they said.

According to the officials, the Khadimpara 31-bed Hospital is not a district or upazila hospital. It was built as a specialised hospital which requires separate financial and administrative approvals. However, the approvals could not be secured due to various complications.

On Monday (13 February) morning, hundreds of patients were seen crowded in the outdoor department of the hospital. They had to purchase a ticket to visit a doctor at the hospital.

Rahima Begum, an elderly woman from the Khadim Daspara area, said, "The doctors prescribe various tests and medicine. But there is no diagnostic equipment here. No medicine is available here. For these, we have to go to the city."

She further complained that sometimes even doctors are not available in the hospital.

Another patient named Monir Hossain said that although it is called a hospital, it is actually more like a doctor's chamber. "The only benefit is that the fees of the doctors here are relatively low compared to the private hospitals. There are no other benefits," he said.

Patients said that prior to the construction of the Khadimpara 31-bed Hospital, they had no government health complex in their area and were required to travel to the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for medical treatment. The construction of the Khadimpara hospital was initiated to provide the locals with better access to healthcare in their own area. 

However, despite six years since its inauguration, the hospital remains inoperative, and the goal of improved healthcare services for the community remains elusive.

An administrative official of the hospital told The Business Standard on condition of anonymity, "The hospital was established on political considerations on the initiative of the former member of parliament of Sylhet-1 constituency and former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith. No facilities for the hospital were considered before the construction except for the infrastructure. But a hospital needs many facilities which are absent here."

He further said, "There is no medicine here. There is no diagnostic equipment other than an ultrasonography machine. There is not even equipment for blood tests. The posts of technician and radiologist are still vacant."

Currently, the hospital has six doctors against 10 posts. Dr Abdul Harish has been posted as the acting supervisor of the hospital.

Dr Abdul Harish said, "Due to manpower crisis and fund shortages, the full operation of the hospital could not be started. Apart from doctors and nurses, there is a shortage of manpower in all posts. So far no cleaning staff has been appointed in the hospital."

"Despite many limitations, we are continuing the services. Sometimes some patients get admitted to the indoor section. But, the activities of the outdoor department stopped at 1pm. If there is no patient admitted at the hospital, we close the main gate," he added.

Himangshu Lal Roy, director of the Health Directorate, Sylhet, said, "The hospital was built as a part of a political commitment. Politicians only think of constructing buildings when they make promises. But they do not care about the budget and manpower approval for the hospital."

Himangshu said that the process of starting the full operation of the hospital is underway and they have written to the ministry about it.

Ashfaq Ahmad, chairman of Sylhet sadar upazila, said, "Even though there is a hospital in this area, people are not getting proper treatments from it. This is unfortunate."