On April 13, 2019, when Jahangirnagar University campus wore a festive look to welcome Pahela Baishakh, Nuruzzaman Nivrit, a 45th batch student of English department, went to the university medical centre with chest and stomach pain. As his condition turned complicated, he was referred to Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar at around 9:15 pm. However, he died on the way to the hospital.
“I want to live. Help me to live, give me some money,” Md. Nazrul Islam, an employee of Al Beruni Hall of Jahangirnagar University, requests all. He is suffering from liver cirrhosis. He has been undergoing treatment at the Super Clinic for the last few months.
Not only Rashed or Nuruzzamn, many other students of university suffer sometimes due to lack of proper treatment, sometimes for not getting an ambulance.
Every time there has been a movement to improve the facilities at the medical center after death due to negligence. There were also assurances too from the authorities concerned. But, none of the 13-point demand students raised after the death of Nivrit has been implemented.
Files for improvement of infrastructure and equipment of the medical center are lying in one corner of the concerned office, alleged students.
They said they need an international standard medical faculty and specialized hospital on the campus.
Talking to UNB, some students said if a specialized hospital is established with laboratories and labs and higher degrees in medicine are provided, students, teachers and staff on the campus will get better treatment and death by negligence can also be prevented.
Besides, about one crore people of Savar, Dhamrai, Manikganj, Gazipur and Tangail regions will be able to avail the health service at a low cost, they said.
According to Scopus, Elsevier's abstract and citation database, 837 articles on medicine have been published in international journals since establishment of JU . Of these, 237 research articles have been published from 2022 to September 17 this year. As a result, researchers have urged the authorities concerned to establish a specialised faculty.
Professor Nuh Alam, acting dean of the Faculty of Biology of JU, said, "Our five departments are directly related to medical services. Naturally, research on these topics is increasing. In that context, there is a need for a full-fledged medical faculty.”
General Secretary of JU Teachers' Association Prof Dr M Shamim Kaiser stressed the need for a specialised hospital alongside medical faculty to move up in the global ranking.
Prof Dr Sohel Ahmed of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology said that the talented and skilled students of Pharmacy, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Genetic Engineering departments of the university are going abroad after completing their studies due to lack of good opportunities.
If an international standard hospital and laboratory are established here, teachers and students will be able to make a big contribution to research alongside medical services, he said.
There are several big government institutions including Bangladesh Public Administration Training Center, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute near JU.
Besides, about 1crore people live in Savar, Ashulia, Dhamrai and Gazipur industrial areas who don’t have access to advanced treatment due to lack of good hospitals.
Resident Medical Officer of Manikganj Sadar Hospital Kazi AKM Russell said, "There is no advanced medical facility in the region. So patients with complicated problems are sent to Dhaka. If a good healthcare facility is established in this region with the help of the government, there will be opportunities for research and higher education and patients will get better services at a lower cost.”
JU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Nurul Alam said, "We are thinking about the importance of a medical faculty and specialized hospital. The matter has already been discussed with the government. Once the ongoing project is completed, necessary steps will be taken.”