C-sections suspended at Nazirabazar maternity hospital amid specialist, medicine shortages
Behind the doors of Old Dhaka’s public hospitals, it is not only patients who are ailing. Vacant posts, missing specialists, idle facilities and failing services plague these hospitals. This final instalment of a three-part series examines the gaps and mismanagement at Nazirabazar Matrisadan.
Caesarean section (C-section) services have remained suspended for a prolonged period at the Nazirabazar Matrisadan (maternity) hospital in the capital due to the absence of an anaesthesiaconsultant, while a six-month shortage of government-supplied medicines has left the facility unable to provide even basic drugs to outpatients.
According to hospital officials, the approved staffing structure includes four medical officers, but only two are currently posted there. A third physician has been temporarily deputed from the Metropolitan Children's Hospital.
The most critical vacancy, however, is that of an anaesthesiaconsultant. While the hospital continues to conduct normal deliveries, pregnant women requiring C-sections must be referred elsewhere because the specialist post has remained vacant for years.
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Hospital authorities said repeated requests had been sent to the relevant authorities to fill vacant posts, but recruitment has yet to be completed.
Medicine supplies exhausted
The hospital has also been facing a severe shortage of medicines, with no government drug supplies received for nearly six months.
As a result, it has been unable to provide any medicines to patients attending its outpatient department. Hospital officials also said its newborn care service, launched last year, is no longer operational.
"Government medicines have been unavailable for almost six months. We cannot provide patients with even a single paracetamol tablet," a hospital official said, adding that many patients leave disappointed after receiving prescriptions without medicines, reducing outpatient attendance.
The official also said existing doctors are struggling to manage administrative duties alongside outpatient care, normal deliveries, and gynaecology services due to the staffing shortage.
DSCC cites budget constraints
Responding to the allegations, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Chief Health Officer said the hospital was experiencing shortages of medicines and permanent specialist doctors but insisted that services had not been suspended.
He said the hospital's deputy director, who is a gynaecologist, and other physicians continue to provide regular services. For complicated C-sections and other emergency surgeries, anaesthesiologists and ultrasonography specialists are brought in on an on-call basis and paid from government funds.
Explaining the medicine shortage, he said hospitals typically procure medicines at the beginning of the fiscal year, but allocations had been exhausted by the end of the previous fiscal year, preventing further purchases from Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL).
He said funds for medicine procurement have been included in the FY26 budget and new supplies will be delivered once the allocation is released.
The official also said hospital directors had not submitted proposals seeking higher budget allocations, making it difficult for authorities to approve additional funding. Some bills from the previous fiscal year also remain unpaid.
DSCC Chief Executive Officer said the corporation had already initiated recruitment to address staff shortages and published job circulars for several positions.
"Recruitment for specialised professional posts takes time, but under the secretary's leadership we are working to expedite the process," he said.
Regarding medicine supplies, he said several NGOs that had previously supported health services completed their contracts on 30 June, and the health department has since taken over their responsibilities. Discussions are ongoing on whether services will continue independently or with external support, he added.
