Century-old hospital grapples with dearth of manpower

The historic General Hospital (Sadar) in the heart of Faridpur city has plunged into a healthcare crisis, leaving thousands of patients in distress due to a severe shortage of medical staff and a mounting garbage disposal problem.

On a daily basis, an average of 200 to 300 patients seek medical attention at this venerable institution, only to return home without receiving the necessary treatments they desperately require.

Aside from the glaring manpower deficit, the hospital is grappling with a pressing issue of garbage disposal. A recent on-site inspection of the facility revealed an alarming accumulation of various forms of refuse outside the No. 2 Tuberculosis Treatment Room and No. 3 Rabies Treatment Room within the hospital premises. Shockingly, these two rooms cater to over a hundred patients each day.

The indiscriminate dumping of putrefying waste has rendered it a daunting task for patients to access medical services, with the atmosphere permeated by an overpowering stench.

Regrettably, the hospital administration seems indifferent to the plight of its patients and has taken no steps to address these issues.

Voicing their concerns, patients like Kamrul and Asma Begum, who came seeking medical treatment, lamented the unbearable conditions caused by the hospital's foul odor, making it difficult to even wait in line.

Brother Ansar, a Staff Nurse responsible for rabies treatment, shed light on the challenges faced by the hospital, citing the absence of nurses, janitors, and night guards as the reason behind patients leaving waste in the vicinity. He stressed that the stench was hampering their ability to provide adequate medical services.

Furthermore, he highlighted a shortage of personnel in various capacities, including doctors and support staff, severely affecting the hospital's operations. The Civil Surgeon has been duly informed about the manpower crisis.

In response, Civil Surgeon of Faridpur, Dr. Mo Siddiqur Rahman, acknowledged that the issue of the hospital's staff shortage had been communicated both in writing and verbally to the Health Directorate. Dr. Rahman expressed confidence that a solution would be promptly implemented to alleviate the dire situation.