Neonatal death cases have increased in the district.
Of the 140 neonatal deaths at Patuakhali General Hospital in 11 months from January last year, 45 occurred in three months of September, October and November, said hospital sources.
Doctors have identified child marriage, pre-mature birth, and malnutrition as main reasons of neonatal death.
Meanwhile, the 250-bed hospital struggles to provide medical service to treatment seekers as only 16 doctors are serving there against 58 posts, said Tarun Kanti Halder, superintendent of the hospital.   
Umme Ayesha, 15, wife of Mojibur Rahman of Nogorerhat in Baufal upazila, gave birth to her first issue, a female baby, at Patuakhali General Hospital on November 26 but the pre-mature child, born only after seven months of conception, died an hour later.
Jesmin Begum, 16, wife of Mahbub of Dakkhin Charkhali village under Galachipa upazila, gave birth to a premature boy who died after 12 hours at the same hospital on November 24, according to record of the hospital.
Shirina Begum, 17, wife of Dulal Mia of Golbunia village under Amtali upazila in Barguna district, gave birth to a premature baby after seven months of conception and the newborn is fighting in the children's ward of Patuakhali General Hospital.
"I was married off at the age of 13 when I was studying in Class VI. During pregnancy, I could not afford to visit any doctor as my husband runs our five-member family with his small income as a day labourer," said Shirina.
The premature child weighs only half kg and is kept in an incubator as it is suffering from respiratory problem, said Dr Mostafizur Rahman, junior consultant of the children's ward at the hospital.
The 42 vacant posts at Patuakhali General Hospital include that of senior consultant (child), senior consultant (cardiology), senior consultant (orthopaedic), junior consultant (cardiology), junior consultant (eye), junior consultant (cardiology), junior consultant (anaesthetist), junior consultant (radiology), resident physician, resident surgeon, resident medical officer, and all three  anaesthetists.
"Amid acute shortage of doctors, we are facing serious problem to run the hospital as about 1000 patients visit outdoors and over 800 patients come to the emergency department on an average daily," said the hospital superintendent.