Joypurhat hospital in dire straits, not enough beds for patients

Although the Joypurhat General Hospital was upgraded from 250 to 400 beds on July 2, it continues to operate with the staffing capacity of a 100-bed facility, leaving patients deprived of the medical care they expect.

The hospital is usually consistent when it comes to accommodating double the number of patients despite its 400-bed capacity, in addition to a heavy patient load in the outpatient department. This time, however, the medical staff and employees were overwhelmed, trying to manage this vast number of patients with limited manpower. 

While food allocations were prepared for 400 patients, the lack of adequate staff makes supervising and distributing those meals to patients a struggle. Due to good connectivity, patients from neighboring districts such as Hakimpur in Dinajpur; Dhamuirhat and Badalgachhi in Naogaon; and Shibganj in Bogura flock to this hospital alongside local patients.

On any given day, approximately 700 to 800 patients are admitted to the facility; as a result, the excess patients numbering around 400 must be treated on ward floors, verandas, and corridors.

Alongside the 800 admitted patients, a large number of people seek treatment in the outpatient department, with an average of 1,500 to 1,600 patients visiting daily. As such, providing medical care with such a limited number of doctors, nurses, and support staff was a major challenge. 

A 400-bed hospital requires 305 doctors, 235 nurses, and 408 support staff members; however, the current workforce consists of only 31 doctors, 125 nurses, and 45 support staff, leaving them understaffed. Furthermore, there are no specialists for Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) conditions, nor is there a nephrologist (kidney specialist) available.

Since 2022, the hospital has been providing dialysis treatment to patients suffering from kidney failure, treating ten such patients daily. Yet, right now, there has been no nephrologist available since the service began. The patient's relatives state that the urgent appointment of a nephrologist has become essential.

Meanwhile, although the ICU was fully prepared for operation four years ago, it remains non-functional due to the absence of an anesthesiologist. Consequently, patients requiring ICU care are referred to other facilities, such as Bogura’s Ziaur Rahman Medical Hospital. Transporting these critically ill patients elsewhere poses significant risks to their lives, with many likely to succumb during the journey a situation that is particularly difficult for impoverished patients. 

Patients are unable to receive the desired level of care due to the lack of modern equipment, including CT scan and MRI machines. Furthermore, as many pathological tests cannot be performed within the hospital, patients are forced to have them done at external facilities. 

Patients also report a shortage of medicines; Manik, a patient from Dadra Jantigram in Joypurhat Sadar Upazila, mentioned having to purchase syrups and injections from outside sources. Discussions with multiple patients confirmed the existence of this medicine shortage.

Dr. Sardar Rashed Mobarak, Superintendent of the 400-bed General Hospital, informed journalists that requisitions for the necessary doctors, nurses, and support staff have been submitted. He noted that patients would receive the expected standard of care once the required personnel and medicines are made available.

-SIS/NS