Treatment of patients at Shailkupa Upazila Health Complex has been hampered for around one year due to shortage of doctors and staff and inoperative ultrasonogram machine.

Hundreds of patients going to the only upazila level health complex in Shailkupa are returning without proper treatment due to acute shortage of physicians and staff and out of order equipment.

District Civil Surgeon Rashida Sultana said the posts of consultants of surgery, medicine, gynaecology, anaesthesia and paediatrics have been lying vacant for around one year. As a result, patients suffering from various complications are going almost untreated in the health complex.

The authority has been managing the complex with sub-assistant community medical officers to make up for the deficiency of doctors. The situation has sparked worries among the people, locals said.

A medical officer examines a patient at the health complex. PHOTO: STAR

Shortage of office assistants, cashier, storekeeper, statistician and pharmacist has been hampering the normal activities of the complex. Only one support staff, out of five posts, has been discharging the duties.

Rupali Khatun, a patient with gynaecological complications, went to the health complex but was referred to Jhenidah General Hospital as there is no gynaecologist at the complex. Serious patients suffering from other diseases are referred to other hospitals by the attending physicians.

Taslima Khatun of Kabirpur village said she came to the complex for a test on her abdomen, but the ultrasonogram machine is inoperative, so she went back without treatment. 

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Khondaker Mohammad Babar said they have been running the health complex with 13 sub-assistant community medical officers.

Babar said the ultrasonogram machine in the complex has been lying inoperative for the last one year. X-ray services are provided only two days a week as there is no regular radiographer in the health complex, he added. 

The civil surgeon admitted the shortage of physicians and other staff in the complex. She said they are expecting a resolution of the crisis as the higher authorities have been informed about the matter.