The activities of Rajnagar Upazila Health Complex are running hardly with one-third vacant posts including specialist doctors. 4 are working on deputation in other hospitals. The dental technologist has been absent for 5 and a half years. No arrangement is being made to appoint the posts despite informing the higher authorities through letters. The upazila health and family planning officer said that the complications had arisen due to non-appointment of new posts for a long time. As a result, they have to struggle to provide services with less manpower.

According to Upazila Health Complex sources, a new building has been constructed to increase this hospital from 31 beds to 50 beds. However, before the completion of the work, due to the cracks in the pillar-beams of the old building and the collapse of the roof lining, the indoor patient admission program was stopped in September. The program was restarted from December 27 last year with the previous furniture and equipment in the new building before handing, considering the suffering of patients. However, the hospital authorities said that after the completion of the remaining work outside the building, it would be officially handed over and inaugurated. Although the old building and the new building were supposed to have 50 beds, the old building was closed due to the risk, but now the work has started in the new building according to its capacity. If the new building is not extended upwards or if the old building is demolished and a new building is never constructed, there is no hope for common people to get the facility of 50 beds.

Meanwhile, 42 posts out of 133 posts are vacant in this hospital. As the winter progresses, the number of patients also increases. As a result, doctors are struggling to provide medical services with less manpower. The hospital currently has 1 Surgery Consultant, 1 Medicine Specialist, 2 Senior Staff Nurses, 2 Midwives, 2 Lab Technologists, 1 Radiologist, 1 Sanitary Inspector, 1 Pharmacist, 1 Assistant Nurse, 17 Field Health Assistants, 1 Herbal Assistant. , Office Assistant 1 post is vacant. He retired last December after serving as one of the two posts of security guard. Dental technologist Faomida Sultana has been absent without leave since September 2017. Even if there is no manpower in this position, vacancy is not being shown. Besides, 1 post of Nanny, 1 Cook-Mashalchi, 1 Gardener, 2 posts of sanitation worker are vacant. One peon is doing the job of 4 peons.

In this situation, if the work of 50 beds is started, there might be more problems in carrying out the activities with this manpower, the concerned authorities think.

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Mohammad Afzalur Rahman said, ”We are running only with the doctors who are there. However, we are facing more problem for 3rd and 4th-grade staff vacancies. We are repeatedly sending letters to higher authorities to fill up the posts. Vacancy information has also been taken from the ministry. Nevertheless, we are not depriving anyone of service even with less manpower.”

TMT/Kamran/Sadi