In order to increase the capacity of public health services, and as part of the plan to increase beds in eight medical college hospitals of the country, beds will be increased in Chattogram Medical College (CMC) Hospital.
This decision was taken in a meeting held recently under the chairmanship of Health Minister ZahidMalek.
According to the decision, the Department of Health will prepare a project plan. It will include plans to construct and renovate buildings to accommodate new beds.
The work of increasing the beds will start in the next financial year.
Those concerned said that operation theaters will also be modernized with new beds. ICU beds will be increased. This plan was adopted in the meeting held on May 2 to provide health services to more people. About 10 thousand beds will be increased in eight major medical college hospitals of the country.
According to the decision, a minimum of 500 to a maximum of 1500 new beds will be set up in hospitals other than Dhaka Medical College (DMC) Hospital. It has been decided to add 1500 new beds in Chattogram Medical College (CMC) Hospital.
Earlier on May 25, 2022, the Ministry of Finance had written to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare approving the upgradation of CMC Hospital to 2200 beds and introduction of extended bed services. The letter signed by Deputy Secretary of Finance Department Mohammad ShawkatUllah said that the consent of the Finance Department has been notified to upgrade the Chattogram Medical College Hospital from 1313 beds to 2200 beds under the Health Care Department and to introduce services in extended beds. Provided that all the rules, formalities and rules must be followed.
The bed capacity of CMC Hospital increased from 1010 to 1313 last on 30 August 2012. However, although there are 1313 beds, currently more than 3 thousand patients are regularly admitted in the hospital. More patients than beds have to stay in various vacant spaces including hospital balconies. This creates many risks.
According to hospital data, the rate of patients admitted to Chattogram Medical College (CMC) Hospital increased by 17.72 percent in 2021-22. Outpatient rate increased to 38.97 percent. At the same time, emergency department patients increased by 22.44 percent. 130 crores 10 lakhs 83 thousand taka have been allocated for the hospital in 2022-23.
Brigadier General Shamim Ahsan, Director of Chattogram Medical College (CMC) Hospital, said that due to excess pressure, patients had to be kept in the balcony of the hospital. In this situation, the Ministry of Health has decided to increase the number of beds in the hospital. This is a great achievement for the people of Chattogram. If the number of beds increases, the hospital's budget-allocation and manpower will increase accordingly. It will also increase the range of medical services.
Chattogram Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Md. Mohiuddin said, in the latest December 2022 evaluation index of the Department of Health, among the 17 government medical college hospitals in the country, Chattogram Medical College Hospital is at the national level in terms of overall services and facilities including internal healthcare, outpatient services, adequacy and use of medical equipment, in the first place in the country. In the evaluation process (facility scoring), CMC Hospital scored 63 out of a total score of 80.