Satkhira Sadar Hospital, the only place of hope for locals in times of their ailment, has turned into a place of despair for them. As 23 lakh people of the district are being deprived of proper health services at the hospital due to a crisis of doctors.
For a long time, 16 important posts of doctors including surgery, ophthalmology, gynecology and anesthesia have been vacant in this hospital for years.
Despite having advanced medical equipment, patients are suffering from severe harassment and suffering due to lack of doctors at the 100-bed hospital. Patients coming to see a doctor for a certain illness are being forced to see a doctor who treats some other diseases. The manpower crisis in the hospital has reached such a critical stage that a medical officer is handling the children's ward while any medical officer administering anesthesia on the sick patients.
The eye treatment is being done by the doctor-in-charge (general medical officer) of that particular time slot. Gynecological patients are also frustrated in the face of such crisis. Sometimes even sub-assistant medical officers are seen seeing patients at the hospital in the absence of the doctors.
Looking at the image of this most important hospital in the district, it seems that there is no one to see the sufferings of the ailing people of the area.
According to sources, out of Satkhira Sadar Hospital’s 27 posts for doctors 16 posts including Senior Consultant (Surgery), Senior Consultant (Orthopedic Surgery), Senior Consultant (Eye), Senior Consultant (Gynecology), Senior Consultant (Anesthesia), Junior Consultant (Pediatrics), Junior Consultant (ENT), Junior Consultant (Pathology), Junior Consultant (Gynecology), Junior Consultant (Surgery), Radiologist, Medical Officer (Emergency Department) and Medical Officer (Life Development) are vacant.
Moreover, 24 posts of 2nd class senior staff nurse, staff nurse and assistant nurse; 7 posts of 3rd class assistant nurse, medical tech (lab) and medical tech (dental); and 3 posts of 4th class have been vacant for a long time too. This is also adding to the sufferings of the patients.
Although the hospital has a separate CCU unit for heart patients, there is no cardiologist.
Sources further added that after announcing Shatkhira Medical College Hospital as Corona dedicated hospital, two to three hundred extra patients started coming to the outdoor unit of Satkhira Sadar Hospital every day, seeking medical assistance.
The hospital authorities are struggling to handle so many patients every day due to the extreme crisis of doctors, let alone give them proper medical services.
Visiting the hospital recently, patients were seen waiting in long lines with glum on their faces, in front of the outdoor unit. Even those who could see a doctor after waiting a long time were not happy, because they had to see other specialists instead of the ones they came to see in the first place.
Monirul Islam, who came from Madhabkati area to get health care, said, “I have brought my pregnant wife to see a gynecologist. After coming, I found out that there is no gynecologist in the hospital. I am now forced to have a caesarean section with the risk of corona infection at corona dedicated Satkhira Medical College Hospital.”
Sheikh Faisal Ahmed, Resident Medical Officer of Sadar Hospital, said that medical services were being heavily disrupted due to the manpower crisis at the hospital.
“We don't have any consultant in surgery, orthopedic surgery or eye. We don't even have senior or junior consultant in gynecology department, but we have nothing to do. The post of anesthesia specialist is also vacant so, it is being administered by the medical officers available. Amid such manpower crisis, sometimes the patient are being consulted by the Deputy Assistant Medical Officers as there are no other way”, he said.
He added that the work of supplying Central Liquid Oxygen with a capacity of 6,000 cubic liters has already been completed at the Sadar Hospital with a system of supplying high flow oxygen that is capable of supplying oxygen to 100 patients effortlessly. The hospital is even equipped to provide adequate healthcare to corona patients with the support of necessary doctors.
Satkhira Civil Surgeon cum Supervisor of Sadar Hospital Dr Hussain Safayet confirming the vacancy of 16 vital doctor posts, said that medical services are being disrupted hugely due to manpower crisis. The hospital needs all the vacant posts to be filled up to ensure proper health care to the patients.
“At the moment, there is a dire need for surgery, gynecology and eye consultants and we have informed the higher authorities in writing about that. I also personally spoke on the phone. The official said that the issue will be resolved soon”, he added.
The aggrieved Satkhira residents have demanded immediate intervention of the higher authorities to get rid of the plight of fragile healthcare at Satkhira Sadar Hospital.
