59% of country's upazila health complexes do not have x-rays: BSMMU study

Around 59% of patients in upazila health complexes cannot have X-rays done as the health centres either do not have X-ray machines or those available have broken down. Some 88.2% of upazila health complexes do not have ultrasonogram facilities, while 41% do not conduct blood transfusions.

Even more worryingly, 63% of health complexes still need a resident medical officer.

This stark snapshot of the health sector in Bangladesh came after researchers from the Public Health and Informatics Department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) conducted a study on nine district hospitals and 17 upazila health complexes in eight divisions of the country.

The research also reviewed information from 77 upazila health and family planning officers, civil surgeons, superintendents and residential medical officers.

The findings of the study were officially released at BSMMU on Monday afternoon.

Dr. Md. Khalequzzaman, associate professor, Department of Public Health and Informatics, and the study's lead researcher, said many people in Bangladesh depend on district and upazila hospitals for healthcare.

Doctors face various challenges while providing services in these institutions, which become major obstacles to delivering healthcare.

The study, "Challenges faced by medical doctors in providing healthcare services at District Hospitals and Upazila Health Complexes in Bangladesh", also noted that many district hospitals do not have dormitories or quarters suitable for doctors. While 52.9% of upazila health complexes have dormitories/quarters ideal for doctors, district hospitals have zero.

The study, funded by the Hospital Services Management, Directorate General of Health Services and BSMMU, was conducted between March 2021 and April 2021.

According to the findings, 30% of the posts of resident medical officers are vacant in district hospitals and 63% in upazila health complexes.

Some 77.8% district hospitals and 64.7% upazila health complexes do not have separate toilet facilities for female patients or attendants.

Additionally, 20% of cleaners' posts are vacant in district hospitals but it is 66% for upazila health complexes.

Infrastructural challenges are present while there is also an unavailability of proper medical products and technology for treatment. Improper hospital waste disposal system and excessive workload also plague the system.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque, chief guest of the report unveiling, said the infrastructure of many hospitals is not good.

Many infrastructures were built 50-60 years ago in the Pakistan era.

He said more work is needed. The health minister also said broken toilets and malfunctioning equipment are also present in new hospitals.

"If the administration is good, the hospital will also be good."

On the research findings relating to 31% posts of security guard or Ansar being vacant in district hospitals and 53% in upazila health complexes, the minister claimed that no country in the world provided guards in hospitals.

However, in reality, many countries, including India, China and the US, have deployed guards for hospitals.

The health minister said as people get angry when their relatives die, the government was forced to provide guards for security at the hospitals.

"There is a plan to deploy Ansar security in each district upazila hospital."

He also made it clear that "Bangladesh is not America. Doctors have to adapt to this and stay at work."