Manpower shortage hampers healthcare services at Raipura

RAIPURA, NARSINGDI, Feb 15: Manpower crisis is hampering healthcare services in Raipura Upazila Hospital Complex of the district.
According to the hospital sources, there has not even 31-bed manpower capacity in the hospital.
The hospital was promoted to 50-bed from 31-bed eight years back to ensure healthcare of over five lakh people in 24 unions of this upazila including char areas.
Its ultra sonogram machine has been lying out of order for a long time. That is why treatment seeking people are suffering.
But the main problem is lying in the crisis of physicians and other staffs in the hospital. As a result, people in the upazila are depriving of healthcare services.
By November in 2012, the hospital was upgraded to 50-bed from 31-bed. Since then it has been running with the less than 31-bed manpower capacity.
There are 19 vacant posts of physicians against the granted total 35.  Of the posted 16 physicians, nine ones have already been transferred. Now there are only seven physicians in the hospital.
                                                                                                                     Four specialist posts out of the total five are vacant in the departments of gynaecology, child, surgery and anaesthesia. There are two supervising nurse posts in the hospital. But these are vacant. There are five ward boy posts, but vacant.
Patients were also suffering in the outdoor pharmacy with only one pharmacist to distribute medicines. One pharmacist has been given charge of store keeper. There are two sweepers and one Aya (maid servant).
Raipura Upazila Health & Family Planning Officer Dr. Abu Sayed Mohammed Faruk said, "We have informed the highest authority about the manpower crisis. Manpower appointing is under process, and we are hoping to get physicians and manpower soon."