Severe shortage of medical officers in Tentulia Hospital Pharmacist and DMF see patients outdoors
A Based Panchagarh Correspondent: Patients are being deprived of proper medical service outdoors due to severe shortage of medical officers in the 50-bed Upazila Health Complex in Tentulia, Panchagarh. Pharmacist and DMF with certificates from outside see patients in the emergency and outpatient departments of the hospital.
When we went to the spot last Tuesday, it was seen that no medical officer was sitting in the chamber in the outpatient and emergency departments of Tentulia Upazila Health Complex even after 11 am. Deputy Assistant Community Medical Officer Nazrul Islam in the children’s department, Medical Officer (Dental Surgeon) Dr. Md. Sikandar Abu Zafar in the dental department, Dental Assistant Anwar Hossain gave medical advice to dental patients. Junior Consultant Gynecologist Dr. Afifa Jinnat Afi and a medical officer in the operation theater (OT) department. In the interdepartment, Dr. Md. Shakil Rahman is giving medical advice to admitted patients. In addition, two DMF certificated foreign boys and girls were seen giving medical advice to patients in the emergency department.
According to office sources, there are 10 medical officers in the Sadar Hospital, 10 specialist doctors and 7 in the health welfare subcenters of seven unions. There are supposed to be a total of 28 doctors including Resident Medical Officer (RMO) and UH & FPO. But the posts of 9 specialist doctors and 12 medical officers and 22 Resident Medical Officers (RMO) are vacant in the hospital. The said post has been vacant for a month due to the transfer of Upazila Health and Family Welfare Officer (UHFPO) Dr. Ashraful Islam. Currently, there are 5 medical officers and 1 junior gynecologist consultant in the hospital. But 2 medical officers do not come to work regularly. Among them, Dr. Soheli Syed Sweety did not return to work after joining this hospital.
According to the statistics department, the hospital was upgraded from 31 to 50 wards in 2005. On an average, about five hundred patients come to the outpatient department and more than one hundred and fifty patients come to the emergency department for medical care every day. Of them, 50 to 60 patients are admitted to the inpatient department. There is no pediatrician in the hospital. As a result, mothers and children have to go to Panchagarh, about 40 km away, or Thakurgaon, about 75 km away, to get proper medical care. Similarly, there are no doctors in the sub-health centers. The basic rights of the common people in the villages are being deprived of medical care.
Chinibas of Bealmari village of Shalbahan union, Sahebjot village of Sadar union came to Seema hospital with fever and headache. They said that they had come to see a medical officer due to fever. But since no medical officer was available, they showed it to the DMF in an emergency. Medical officers are never available in the hospital’s outdoor area. I had to see a pharmacist or DMF on the same day I came. Bochaganj Rahima came to the hospital with her child suffering from cold and fever. But since there was no MBBS and pediatrician in the outdoor area, I showed her to the Sub-Assistant Committee Medical Officer. Like them, many patients who come to the hospital complain that they are deprived of treatment because they do not get a medical officer in the outdoor area.
Resident Medical Officer (Acting) Dr. Md. Shakil Rahman said that the medical officer in charge of the outdoor department has not yet come to work. Due to the shortage of medical officers, two DMF assistants have been kept in the emergency department. When a very complex patient comes, I have to leave the patient in the inter-department. Although a medical officer and a specialist doctor are posted here, they are transferred after a gap of two to three months. Due to which it is difficult to provide proper treatment to about two lakh people of the upazila.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer (Acting), Junior Gynecologist Consultant Dr. Afifa Jinnat Afi said, what is the use of writing in the newspaper. I do not know such information. Asked the acting RMO.
The conscious community of Tentulia Upazila has drawn the attention of the Ministry of Health to appoint important doctor vacancies on an urgent basis in the Tentulia Upazila Health Complex, which is famous for its tourism industry in Panchagarh district, the northernmost district of the country
