Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital’s Coronary Care Unit reopens after five-day closure

The Coronary Care Unit (CCU) at Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital resumed operations this morning (13 May), five days after it was shut down due to a shortage of doctors.

The specialised unit was reopened after two doctors were appointed by the government, following sustained media coverage and efforts by relevant authorities. 

However, hospital officials said two doctors are not enough to run such a specialised facility.

Consequently, two more doctors, who had been providing care without pay for the past nine months, agreed to return on a voluntary basis. The CCU is now being operated by four doctors.

"This unit had been functioning for nine months with 30 doctors and 130 staff members working without pay," said Dr Mong Tin Neo, the hospital's superintendent. 

"When it became unsustainable, the CCU was closed on 8 May. After repeated written appeals to the higher authorities, two doctors were urgently appointed to the unit on Monday night," he added.

According to data from the Cox's Bazar Civil Surgeon's Office and the Sadar Hospital, since 2019, local and international NGOs have supported various healthcare facilities in the district, including the district hospital and union health centres under the World Bank-funded "Health and Gender Support Project" aimed at assisting host communities affected by the Rohingya crisis.

Under this initiative, 199 additional staff were appointed to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital. This allowed for the introduction of essential services such as the ICU, CCU, emergency obstetric care, and child protection services. However, the project term was set to end in June 2024. 

Following media reports and government efforts, the project's tenure was extended for three more months until September. During this extension, 30 doctors and 100 staff members continued their service without pay, keeping several units operational.

The CCU was ultimately closed on Thursday (8 May) due to a lack of available doctors.

A senior hospital official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "Specialised departments like the ICU and CCU have always depended on NGO support. These units are not officially part of the 250-bed government hospital."

"The NGO project ended last June and was extended until September, but later came to a halt. Many staff members kept working without pay, hoping the project would be renewed. However, due to bureaucratic delays, the new project remains stalled, and many personnel have left. This is why the CCU had to close," they added.

The official said the ICU, which remains operational, is also facing similar challenges, stressing that prompt government approval of the project is crucial.

Doctors say the healthcare needs of Cox's Bazar have drastically increased due to the combined population of 25 lakh locals and around 12 lakh Rohingya refugees who arrived in 2017. In addition, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Cox's Bazar each year.

Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, a 250-bed government hospital, is the main healthcare provider for this vast population. Of the 328 approved government posts at the hospital, 76 are currently vacant.

The emergency department alone receives over 500 patients daily and is operated by just three doctors. To provide even basic services, at least 12 doctors are needed in the emergency department.

Despite its official 250-bed capacity, the hospital hosts an average of 800–900 indoor patients daily.