Thousands of people are being deprived of adequate health facilities as the lone X-ray machine at 50-bed Shalla upazila health complex has been lying unused for 18 years at its corridor, thanks to the negligence of the authorities concerned.

The X-ray machine was bought for the health complex at about Tk 19 lakh in 2005. But it remained unpacked and unused for the long period, wasting public money.

Visiting the hospital, the UNB correspondent found the machine lying unprotected and neglected at the corridor of the old building’s south gate of the hospital. Different damaged parts of the X-ray machine found scattered around the box.

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The box is now being used for keeping waste bins.

Talking the correspondent, some patients said they face huge trouble as there is no hospital in the upazila that provides X-ray service.

They said they have to go Ajmiriganj of Habiganj or Derai in Sunamganj, both almost 20 kilometers off Shalla, or other district and divisional hospitals if any X-ray is needed, no matter how critical the patient’s condition is.

During monsoon, they have to depend on boats for carrying patients.

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After the procurement of the X-ray machine in 2005 at the health complex, locals hoped that this would bring an end to their sufferings. But their expectation has not been fulfilled even after 18years.

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Shashanka Ghosh said that a team has visited the hospital and examined the machine and found one if its three lines damaged. The service will be started as soon as possible after fixing the problem, he added.

Md. Ahmed Hossain, Civil Surgeon of Sunamganj district, said, “An engineer from Dhaka came and examined the machine. There is a little problem that needs to be fixed. Hope the X-ray service will start soon.”

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