PIROJPUR, Oct 15: Due to acute shortage of doctors and staffs at different government hospitals in the district, the healthcare services are suffering setback.
Two-thirds of the sanctioned posts are vacant at Pirojpur Sadar Hospital and other six upazila health complexes. As a result, the people, especially the poor ones, are being deprived of proper medical treatment.
According to Civil Surgeon office sources, of the total 170, 92 posts at Sadar Hospital, six upazila health complexes and 52 union health and family welfare centres are vacant while 78 doctors and officials are providing treatment to around 13 lakh people of the district.
Pirojpur Sadar Hospital sources said, of the 31 posts of doctors, only 10 are currently posted while the remaining 21 are vacant. The scenarios at the upazila health complexes are almost the same.
At Kawkhali Upazila Health Complex (UHC), the sanctioned posts for doctors are nine, but only four are currently serving; while at Zianagar UHC, it is five out of 10; at Sawrupkhati (Nesarabad) UHC, it is 13 out of 29; at Bhandaria UHC, it is seven out of 15; at Nazirpur UHC, it is nine out of 17; and at Mathbaria UHC, it is nine out of 21.
Pirojpur Sadar Hospital is currently equipped with 100 beds but most of the important posts of specialised doctors are lying vacant; so people are not getting expected treatment from the hospital. The existing doctors here refer the patients to Barisal and Khulna and sometimes to Dhaka and abroad.
Out of the six x-ray machines, three are working and the rest three have remained out of order for long. Besides, there are no digital x-ray machines, and so the patients have to go the private clinics for doing their respective x-ray tests. For pathological tests, the doctors advise the patients to have those at the private clinics. Besides, there is crisis of oxygen cylinders and other equipments at the hospital.
Almost all the doctors here are involved with different private clinics, and they mainly prefer the patients to be treated at their chosen clinics.
Besides, a local syndicate is involved in stealing medicines from the hospital, while the doctors prescribe specific medicines as they get commissions from the pharmaceutical companies
regularly.
