Four years on, Narsingdi 250-bed hospital building still unused

Four years after construction was completed, services at the new building of Narsingdi’s 250-bed District Hospital have yet to begin due to an acute shortage of manpower and equipment.

As a result, the district’s main government healthcare facility continues to operate from its old 100-bed infrastructure, struggling to cope with a daily flow of around 1,200 patients in its outpatient and inpatient departments.

This situation has left many patients receiving treatment on floors and in corridors amid shortages of beds, doctors, nurses, medical equipment and support staff.

The government initiated a project in 2019 to upgrade the hospital from 100 to 250 beds. Construction of the new eight-storey building, at a cost of Tk 40.38 crore, was completed by the Public Works Department (PWD) in 2022.

The new facility includes four modern operating theatres, an ICU, CCU, SDU, isolation units and expanded emergency services. However, it remains non-operational due to manpower and logistical constraints.

Amena Khatun, 54, from Palash upazila, said she had to wait four hours to consult a doctor at the outpatient department.

“I stood in line from 10:00am and saw a doctor around 2:00pm. The new building with better facilities lies unused, while we suffer in long queues,” she said.

Abu Hanif Mia, 48, from Raipura upazila, said the hospital regularly receives road accident victims as it is located beside the Dhaka–Sylhet highway.

“If the ICU and emergency services in the new building were operational, many critically ill patients would not have to be referred to Dhaka. It would save lives, time and money for many,” he added.

ASM Musa, executive engineer of the PWD in Narsingdi, said their responsibility ends with handing over the building.

“We have sent multiple reminder letters to the hospital authorities, but they are not taking it over, citing manpower shortages,” he said.

Hospital Superintendent Dr ANM Mizanur Rahman, however, said it was not feasible to operate a 250-bed facility with manpower allocated for a 100-bed hospital.

“We have sent several requisitions to the Directorate General of Health Services seeking additional staff. If necessary steps are taken, services could begin this year,” he said.

Dr Syed Md Amirul Haque Shamim, civil surgeon of Narsingdi, said efforts are underway to resolve the manpower crisis and make the new building operational within the year.