Patients in agonies as surgeries suspended All kinds of surgical operation at Bhola Sadar Hospital have remained suspended over the last seven months for want of anesthetists, much to the sufferings for surgical patients.
Providing medical service to the patients is now being seriously hampered as the lone post of anesthetist has remained vacant at the hospital for long, said officials concerned.They said though conducting surgery is not possible without anesthetists, there is no doctor to provide anesthesia at the hospital since July last year.Amid the prevailing situation, patients who come to the hospital seeking treatment for delivery cases and complicated diseases including Hepatitis B are facing varies difficulties.They are being forced to receive treatment at higher cost at different clinics and hospitals either in the district or other places.In the mean time, many critical patients have reportedly died on way to distant hospitals from Sadar Hospital.
Describing the sufferings he is now undergoing, Abdur Rahim, an admitted patient with the legs broken, said despite the doctors’ recommendation, operation on his legs cannot be done at the hospital for lack of anesthetists.”It’s not possible for me to go to other places (outside the district) for operation,” said Rahim.Like him, a number of patients have shared similar stories with this correspondent.Hospital sources said costly medical equipment are lying idle for want of anesthetists.Dr Khairur Bhasar, resident medical officer (acting) of the hospital, said they have no ways but to refer surgical patients to other hospitals in absence of anesthetist.The hospital which came into existence with 50-bed was later upgraded to a 100-bed one in 1996.Since the establishment, it has faced ever doctors’ shortage.Though a process is underway to upgrade the hospital to a 250-bed one from 100-bed, medical service is being seriously hampered for lack of doctors.There are only 10 doctors available here against the sanctioned 22 posts, including medical officers’.Contacted, Bhola Civil Surgeon Dr Farid Ahmed said they already informed the higher authorities about the appointment of anesthetists on emergency basis. -UNB, Bhola
