Kishoreganj Hospitals Face Bed and Doctor Shortages

Every bed in the hospital is full of patients. Extra cots have been placed in the corridors. In some places, treatment is being given on mats spread across the floor. More than a hundred patients are waiting outside a doctor’s room. The operating theater is ready, but there is no anesthesia specialist. A multi-million-taka X-ray machine has been installed, but it has remained idle for months because there is no technologist.

This is not the picture of just one hospital. It reflects the reality of most upazila health complexes in Kishoreganj district.

An analysis of data from 13 upazila health complexes and the 500-bed Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College Hospital shows an alarming situation. Bed numbers have not increased, but patient numbers have multiplied several times. Doctor recruitment has also remained far below demand. Many of the doctors who are on the payroll are assigned on deputation or attachment elsewhere. As a result, healthcare at the upazila level is under severe pressure.

The district’s hospitals have a total of 1,350 beds. Yet an average of 1,858 patients are admitted every day. In other words, the number of patients far exceeds the available beds. The district needs 594 doctors, but only 311 are regularly seeing patients.

According to the Civil Surgeon’s Office, the largest medical facility in Kishoreganj is the 500-bed Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College Hospital. On average, 690 patients are admitted there every day, creating a heavy burden on the hospital’s capacity. The hospital has 123 sanctioned doctor posts, but only 90 are currently filled.

An anesthesia consultant is available there, and X-ray and ultrasound services are operational. The hospital has 625 sanctioned posts for government officers and employees, of which 475 are filled. In addition, 160 outsourced staff are working there.

Kishoreganj 250-Bed General Hospital is the district’s main government hospital. Against 250 beds, it admits 350 to 400 patients daily on average, which means patient pressure is far above capacity.

The hospital has 68 sanctioned doctor posts, of which 53 are currently filled. Five doctors are absent without authorization, and departmental cases are underway against them. A total of 48 doctors are regularly on duty.

Regular operations, anesthesia, pathology, X-ray, and ultrasound services are available at the hospital. Of the 306 sanctioned posts for government officers and staff, 276 are filled. Another 93 outsourced workers are also on duty.

Hossainpur Upazila Health Complex

This 50-bed hospital admits an average of 100 to 110 patients every day, meaning the number of patients is more than double its capacity. The hospital has 39 sanctioned doctor posts, with 24 doctors currently in service. Of them, eight are working elsewhere on deputation, leaving only 16 doctors on regular duty.

Regular cesarean, minor, and major surgeries are performed there. However, there is no anesthesia consultant. Pathology services are available. Ultrasound tests are conducted regularly, but X-ray services remain closed because there is no radiographer. Of the 160 sanctioned government posts, 118 are filled. The hospital also has 12 outsourced staff.

Pakundia Upazila Health Complex

This 50-bed hospital admits around 50 patients daily. It has 38 sanctioned doctor posts, with 16 doctors currently working. Of them, 12 are on regular duty, while four are attached elsewhere.

Minor operations are performed there. The post of gynecology consultant remains vacant, so cesarean operations are not being conducted. An anesthesia consultant is in service. Pathology is operational, but there is no pathologist. Tests are being conducted with the help of a gene expert. X-ray and ultrasound services are available. Of 232 sanctioned government posts, 187 are filled. There are also 13 outsourced workers.

Katiadi Upazila Health Complex

This 50-bed hospital admits about 50 patients daily. It has 37 sanctioned doctor posts, of which 21 are filled. Three doctors are attached elsewhere, one is absent without authorization, and two are on maternity leave.

Because there are no gynecology or anesthesia consultants, no operations can be performed. Pathology is operational. However, the X-ray machine has not yet been installed, and the ultrasound unit has software problems. There is no radiographer. Of the 177 sanctioned government posts, 135 are filled. The hospital also has 15 outsourced staff.

Karimganj Upazila Health Complex

This 50-bed hospital admits 50 to 57 patients daily. It has 45 sanctioned doctor posts, but only 16 doctors regularly serve there.

Only minor operations are carried out. The anesthesia consultant post is vacant. Pathology is operational, but there is no pathologist. Ultrasound services are running, but X-ray services are closed because there is no radiographer. Of 222 sanctioned government posts, 164 are filled. There are 4 outsourced staff members.

Tarail Upazila Health Complex

This 50-bed hospital admits 47 to 48 patients daily on average. It has 36 sanctioned doctor posts, with 16 doctors currently in service. Of them, 12 are on regular duty.

Only minor operations are performed. The gynecology junior consultant is attached elsewhere, while the surgery junior consultant has been absent from the workplace for a long time. Pathology is operational, but there is no pathologist, and tests are being conducted locally. The X-ray machine is broken, while ultrasound remains functional. Since there is no radiographer, X-ray services cannot be resumed. Of the 160 sanctioned government posts, 107 are filled. There are 13 outsourced staff.

Nikli Upazila Health Complex

This 50-bed hospital admits 55 to 65 patients daily. It has 28 sanctioned doctor posts, of which 22 are filled. Since six doctors are attached elsewhere, only eight are on regular duty.

Minor operations and plastering are performed there. Due to a manpower shortage, cesarean operations are closed. Although an anesthesia consultant exists, the doctor is currently attached to NITOR in Dhaka. Pathology services are running. X-ray services are closed because the X-ray room is under renovation. Ultrasound is operational. Of 175 sanctioned government posts, 122 are filled. There are 5 outsourced staff.

Bajitpur Upazila Health Complex

This 50-bed hospital has all 14 doctor posts filled. Cesarean and all other types of operations are performed regularly. An anesthesia consultant is in service. Pathology, X-ray, and ultrasound services are fully operational. Of the 133 sanctioned government posts, 113 are filled. There are 7 outsourced staff.

Itna Upazila Health Complex

The 50-bed hospital admits 46 to 48 patients daily. It has 34 sanctioned doctor posts, with 13 doctors currently working. Only minor operations are performed there. The anesthesia doctor has been absent from the workplace for a long time.

Pathology is operational, but there is no pathologist. The services are being managed by a medical technologist from the National Tuberculosis Control Program. Ultrasound is operational, but X-ray services are closed because there is no radiographer. Of 145 sanctioned government posts, 92 are filled. There are 20 outsourced staff.

Mithamoin Upazila Health Complex

This 50-bed hospital admits 50 to 60 patients daily, and sometimes as many as 80 to 90. It has 31 sanctioned doctor posts, of which 13 are filled.

Cesarean, plaster, and minor operations are performed regularly. An anesthesia consultant is in service. Pathology and X-ray services are running under local management, but the lab and radiology technologist posts are vacant.

Austagram Upazila Health Complex

This 50-bed hospital admits 50 patients daily. It has 33 sanctioned doctor posts, with 14 doctors currently in service and 12 on regular duty.

No operations are performed there. Pathology is operational. X-ray services are running, but the ultrasound machine’s printer and UPS are damaged. Of 108 sanctioned government posts, 65 are filled. There are 16 outsourced staff.

Bhairab Upazila Health Complex

The hospital currently has 50 beds, though there is a proposal to upgrade it to 100 beds. It admits 65 to 70 patients daily. Of 43 sanctioned doctor posts, 27 are filled. Five doctors are attached elsewhere.

Cesarean operations are performed there. Pathology, X-ray, and ultrasound services are operational. Of the 106 sanctioned government posts, 80 are filled. There are 15 outsourced staff.

Kuliar Char Upazila Health Complex

This 50-bed hospital admits 70 to 80 patients daily. Of 25 sanctioned doctor posts, 17 are filled, and all are regularly on duty.

Cesarean and other operations are performed regularly. The anesthesia consultant is in service, though the doctor spends two days a week attached to Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College Hospital. Pathology, X-ray, and ultrasound services are running. The radiographer post is vacant, but X-ray services are being provided through local arrangements. A total of 105 staff members are working across the first through fourth grades. There are 2 outsourced workers.

Austagram Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Shah Md. Mofijullah said, “Although we provide all primary care services and minor operations in this haor-dominated upazila, cesarean operations are not possible here. The operation theater setup exists, but the reason is a shortage of doctors. We are unable to treat emergency pregnant patients. Another major problem is accommodation, so doctors are not willing to stay here.”

Hossainpur Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Md. Tanvir Hasan said, “Because the transportation system to this upazila health complex is good, patients also come here from Pakundia, Gafargaon in Mymensingh, and parts of Nandail. That is why more than 100 patients are admitted on average in this 50-bed hospital. If specialist doctors are posted here, even better-quality healthcare can be provided.”

Kuliar Char Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Adnan Akhtar said, “It is not only a shortage of doctors. There is also a shortage of other staff at the hospital. Healthcare must be delivered by a combined team. In particular, there are major vacancies for ward boys, ayas, and cleaners. If these vacant posts are filled, the overall quality of healthcare will improve.”

District Civil Surgeon Dr. Nazmul Karim said, “Since the appointment of doctors through the 48th BCS, we have become more comfortable in providing healthcare services. There are still some specialist doctor shortages and a few other vacant posts. We are in contact with the ministry to fill those posts. We hope they will be filled soon.”