59pc Upazila health complexes do not have functional x-ray facility

As much as 59 per cent of the Upazila health complexes do not have functional x-ray facility, said a new study on Monday picturing the country’s poor healthcare condition.

Although blood transfusion service is available in 100 per cent district hospitals, this service is not available in 41 upazila health complexes.

30 per cent of the posts of resident medical officers are vacant in district hospitals and 63 per cent of posts are vacant in upazila health complexes, read the study.

The study was conducted by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMU).

The study was disclosed at a meeting held at the BSMMU by the Department of Public Health and Informatics. Dr Md Khalequzzaman, Associate Prof Department of Public Health & Informatics presented the study.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque addressed the event as the chief guest.

ECG services are available in 88.9 per cent district hospitals and 76.5 per cent upazila health complexes.

44.4 per cent of district hospitals and 11.8 per cent of upazila health complexes have ultrasonogram facilities. 77.8 per cent of district hospitals and 64.7 per cent of upazila health complexes did not have separate toilets for female patients and attendants.

Meanwhile, the poor infrastructure poses an additional challenge, pointed out the study.

Vacancies at all levels of health workers need to be filled to ensure quality health care and efforts should be made to build good relations between doctors, patient attendants, local influencers and local media persons, the study recommended.

Hospitals should ensure proper waste management, it underlined.

Minister Zahid Maleque blamed the civil surgeons and local health officials or head of the health complex for the prevailing poor condition, including for not overseeing or monitoring properly.

He claimed that the government is spending money as required, saying that Bangladesh may not be able to ensure standard healthcare facilities as in the US but can improve the situation.

The minister said that most of the problems can be solved if the heads of the institutions are aware of the situation. He, however, said that the number of doctors is still less than the requirement.

BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr. Md. Sharfuddin Ahmed said at the event that patients go to four or five doctors at the same time to get free medicine at the upazila health service centre, this has to be solved to ease the system and ensure proper healthcare to the people.

According to the research paper, a large number of people in Bangladesh are dependent on district hospitals and upazila health complexes for healthcare. But doctors in these healthcare institutions face a variety of challenges.

In this study, researchers collected information from nine district hospitals and 17 upazila health complexes and reviewed 77 Upazila Health Officers, Civil Surgeons and others. This study took data from November 2020 to 2021.

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