The hospital now has six new departments and a Special Care Newborn Unit (SCANU). A psychiatric ward has also started functioning while the Burn and Plastic Surgery unit has been overhauled.
Earlier there was no gastro, neurology medicine, respiratory medicine, hematology and endocrinology departments in the hospital. The patients only received primary treatment from the external departments.
On February 7, 2018, a 10-bed neurology department was inaugurated by former parliamentarian Muhammad Mizanur Rahman.
Neurology department head Assistant Professor Dr SM Fariduzzaman said poor families had to bear the cost of treatment. “Now, they are getting treatment in external and internal departments of the hospital,” he said, adding that the department started its journey with five male and five female beds.
Gastro, neurology medicine, respiratory medicine, hematology and endocrinology departments were inaugurated on the fourth floor of the hospital, with seven beds in neurology medicine, six beds in gastro, seven beds in respiratory medicine, eight beds in endocrinology, the doctor said.
Hospital sources said Superintendent Morshed initiated many steps after taking charge in 2017 to improve services including persistent supply of oxygen, shifting morgue, banning brokers, and setting up a new room beside blood bank.
Dr Morshed said a SCANU had been opened. “We had to fetch oxygen from outside for the patients but now this problem has been resolved,” he said. “Preparations to open three new operation theaters are complete. We hope to start them when we have the manpower.”
Separate wards have been set up for males and females in the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit. Senior Staff Nurse of Jharna Khatun said the bathroom and dressing rooms for males and females would be separate from now on.
One major improvement has been the management of food. Every patient, who is admitted to the hospital, now gets a meal.
Saiful Islam, a medicine department patient, said the quality of breakfast, lunch, and dinner has seen much improvement in recent months.