MPs sound alarm over failing health facilities in their constituencies
Several members of the parliament today voiced concern over the deteriorating state of hospitals across Bangladesh, pointing to crumbling infrastructure, severe manpower shortages, and stalled development projects.
They urged the government to take urgent steps to strengthen healthcare delivery and ensure adequate staffing.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Speaking during discussions under Section 71 of the Rules of Procedure, which empowers MPs to draw a minister’s attention to matters of urgent public importance and to move Private Members’ Resolution Proposals, lawmakers highlighted examples from their constituencies where hospitals remain in poor condition, and patients are left without essential services.
Brahmanbaria-2 independent MP Rumeen Farhana termed the 50-bed hospital in Brahmanbaria’s Sarail upazila, as being "like a patient" itself.
She noted that 64 posts remain vacant, including nine for physicians and consultants, six for nurses, two for medical technologists, 15 for field staff, eight for health assistants, and 19 for other staff.
She added that while a Tk 10 crore project was undertaken to construct a six-storey building, the contractor abandoned the work after August 5, 2024, leaving medical services confined to the old, dilapidated two-storey building.
The discussion arose from a proposal by Azharul Islam Mannan (Narayanganj-3) to establish a new 200-bed hospital in Siddhirganj.
Rumeen spoke while debating an amendment to that proposal. Several other MPs echoed similar concerns, demanding more hospital beds in their constituencies.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain responded by saying that the 300-bed General Hospital near Siddhirganj is already being upgraded to 500 beds, and Victoria General Hospital is also nearby. He assured that the government may consider new hospitals in the future if necessary.
Following this, Mannan expressed his intent to withdraw the proposal. That was later withdrawn via voice vote with the speaker's permission.
Earlier, Rajshahi-4 MP Abdul Bari Sarder said that in his constituency, there is only one health complex serving around 400,000 people. It was upgraded to a 50-bed hospital in 2014.
He said that he personally witnessed three doctors sharing a single room to provide healthcare services.
He added that the upazila health complex has one ambulance, but no driver. Consequently, when critically ill patients need to be taken to the district headquarters hospital -- 50 kilometres away -- they suffer greatly, and in many cases die before reaching the hospital.
Bagerhat-2 MP Shaikh Monzurul Haque said that his district has a population of two million. Each upazila health complex is in a dilapidated condition; so, people flock to the Bagerhat Sadar Hospital for treatment, he added.
"I wish to describe the condition of the Sadar hospital to draw the attention of the health minister,” Monzurul said.
He said in 2021, the hospital was upgraded to 250 beds. In 2022, new posts were created for the upgraded facility. “There is a severe shortage of manpower. Of 10 senior consultant posts, 8 are vacant. Of 16 junior consultant posts, 11 are vacant. Out of 57 doctor posts, 42 remain vacant.”
“A 10-bed ICU was established here, but from the very day of its inauguration, it has remained closed and unused. It serves no purpose. I therefore call upon the health minister to urgently address this crisis and provide relief from this situation," the Bagerhat-2 MP said.
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