Once a 31-bed hospital, the heath complex has been upgraded to a 50-one recently. On January 30, 2018, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the construction work on the health complex involving Tk 11 crore.
Later, former Finance Minister AMA Muhith inaugurated the extended portion of the hospital on October 18, 2018, but the operation of the upgraded hospital is yet to start for lack of manpower.
Sources said 41 posts, out of 155, have been lying vacant for long and only four physicians of the 31-bed hospital are struggling a lot to deal with the patients in its old building as nearly 5,000 patients visit the hospital seeking medical services every day.
The administrative activities of the hospital are also being hampered for the same reason. Besides, two ambulances, out of three, remained out of order causing sufferings to patients during any emergency.
During a recent visit to the hospital, the UNB correspondent found its nurses and assistants engaged in providing medical services for lack of adequate physicians. Ward boys, sometimes, provide emergency health services to patients.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Abdur Rahman said one resident medical officer and a medical officer have been providing medical services to 500 patients every day as there is an acute crisis of manpower.
Sometimes, he said, the only resident medical officer has to provide health services for 24 hours.