X-ray machines at different government hospitals in Feni are lying unused for years due to a shortage of skilled manpower. Among the hospitals and health centers in Feni, only Feni General Hospital and Chhagalnaiya Upazila Health Complex have functioning X-ray machines. Machines worth crores of taka haven’t even been unboxed in the district’s Sonagazi, Fulgazi, Parshuram and Daganbhuiyan upazila health complexes. Read more: Patients suffer as power disruption cripples services at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital Besides, it has been 15 years since the 20-bed Trauma Center and Chest Disease Hospital in Feni’s Mahipal used an X-ray machine last time. Health officials said that although the government had provided two X-ray machines with capacities of 300MA and 500MA to Fulgazi Upazila Health Complex in 2016 and 2019, respectively, patients are yet to get the health examination facility. The same thing happened at Parshuram Upazila Health Complex. The X-ray machine of this health center malfunctioned in 2016. Instead of repairing it, the government provided a new X-ray machine with a capacity of 500MA on September 9, 2019, which has been lying unboxed since then as the health complex didn’t find anyone who could install and operate the machine. Read more: Govt to set pvt hospitals’ service fees: Health Minister “We haven’t used X-ray machines since 2013. Although we received a 500MA X-ray machine on March 2, 2021, it hasn’t been taken out of the box yet due to a shortage of skilled personnel,” said Tauhidul Islam, Daganbhuiyan Upazila Health Officer. Mahbub Alam, Lab Technologist of Sonagazi Upazila Health Complex, said that two X-ray technologists had joined the complex in 2007 and 2013. “But they were transferred to another health complex after the X-ray machine of our health complex went out of order,” Mahbub added. Read more: New facilities in Noakhali district hospital to serve locals, Rohingyas from Bhasan Char Dr Rafiq us-Salehin, Civil Surgeon of Feni, said that X-ray services can’t be provided to patients without recruiting skilled operators and technologists. “Recruitment of manpower to operate and maintain X-ray machines is currently underway. A company named 3I Merchandise supplies X-ray machines in Feni. We’ve asked them time and again to teach our health workers how to operate an X-ray machine, which they never did,” said Rafiq.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the government will set up community vision centres in all upazilas across the country in phases to provide better eyecare services to local people.