PIROJPUR, May 17: The construction work of a 250-bed new hospital building ended in the district town more than one year back. Yet it could not start its services due to lack of electricity supply and lifts services, which results in deprivation of medical services to the people of the district.
In 2005 the hospital was promoted to 100-bed one. In 2017, the 250-bed hospital building construction work began. Public Works Department (PWD) invited tender for seven-storey building in 2020, for two more floors. Total nine-storey building's construction work was completed in 2024 at Tk 70 crore. M/S Khan builders and Banga Builders were the joint contractors.
Babul Mia of Bhaijora Village in the municipality said, patients flooded in the existing 100-bed hospital. Patients have to stay on floor and corridor. Medical service seekers rushed to the hospital, expecting better treatment, proper medicine, pathological service, test, nursing, healthy food and physician's advice. But practically nothing is available in the hospital.
Manwara Begum, an employee of a private farm in the town said, due to shortage of physicians and hospital beds, poor patients are getting nominal services. Doctors prescribe for medicines to buy those from the outside. "We have to go outside for X-ray, blood test and other pathological necessary tests," she added.
Residential Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Nizam Uddin said, "After opening new hospital, new doctors, technicians, and nursing staff-members will be enhanced, and then quality services will be possible. Now we are running at the allocation of 100-bed hospital capacity."
"We can't provide necessary services to 20 lakh people including 12 lakh in the district and others in surrounding districts with limited resources. We have to refer patients to Khulna and Barishal hospitals due to our practical limitations," he added.
Posts of specialised doctors of all emergency departments, of surgery, operation technicians, and medical skilled manpower are lying vacant in the hospital.
Executive Engineer of PWD Md Khiruzzman said, due to corona pandemic, on the request of contractors, the time of the construction was extended. "Now prices of lifts have been increased. So, we are trying to minimise the issue and hope the problem will be resolved soon," the official added.
