By Md Mamun Islam
 
RANGPUR, Nov 14, 2024 (BSS) - Rush of patients, manpower shortage and unplanned development in the previous fallen government exert a serious effect on Rangpur Medical College and Hospital (RpMCH), disrupting quality medical services.

Failing of proper medicare put hundreds of patients of the hospital on dissatisfaction even after 54 years of its establishment for nearly two crore people in the northern region.
 
In an exclusive observation, the BSS correspondent found that insufficient manpower, lack of beds and scarce supply of medicines against the demand and unplanned development work accomplished by deposed Awami League government weigh on the overall activities of the hospital.

Besides, dirty garbage scattered in different places, unusable dirty toilets and foul-smelling environments, audacity of brokers and syndicates are also responsible for hampering medical services in RpMCH.
 
Administrative officer Md. Chhaiful Islam told BSS that the 250-bed hospital of 1976 turned into 1000-bed hospital in three phases as the manpower wasn't increased.

The RpMCH faces acute manpower shortage as its extended healthcare services are currently running with the manpower of 1,680 among 1,981 designated for 500 beds in 1986, he added.

The manpower included 235 doctors, 1,026 nurses, 10 dental surgeons, 31 medical technologists, 102 third-class employees, 264 fourth-class employees and 12 security guards.
 
At present, RpMCH has a total of 42 wards including a modern CCU, 12 OTs, 10-bed ICU, 25-bed dialysis unit, six-bed day care unit, VIA Center, Breast Cancer Screening Center.
 
Sources said rush of patients forced many to take treatment even staying on the floor or in the surrounding corridors and balconies in extremely uncomfortable conditions.
 
Doctors, nurses and ward boys struggle to cope with the pressure of patients outnumbering the beds in the most wards.

Patients said they are forced to spend more money to buy most of the necessary medicines from outside as the hospital can't provide all.
 
Even, the RpMCH does not have all kinds of tests' facilities, so, they have to go to private diagnostic centers and clinics nearby and pay extra for these tests, they said.
 
Rita Rani, wife of Bipul Chandra, 37, of Taraganj upazila in Rangpur, said her husband was admitted to the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) corner of ward 29/30 of the Medicine Department on Tuesday afternoon with chest pain.
 
Due to the shortage of beds, he has to stay on the floor. In the morning, a doctor spoke to them for just a minute, prescribed medicines and left. They had to buy the medicines from outside.
 
Shaheen Alam, 25, a young man from Joanchar Paotana village, a remote area of Pirgachha upazila, who was on the floor of the same ward, was admitted on Monday afternoon with severe pain in his leg veins and stomach.
 
The next day, the doctor came for the first time and after seeing him for only a minute he prescribed various medicines and injections and left.
 
Shaheen Alam's younger brother Ruhul Amin and his nephew Mashiur Rahman, who joined the mass uprising, also expressed dissatisfaction and anger, complaining extreme negligence of the doctors, nurses and ward boys towards the people in this ward.
 
They said patients are getting sicker instead of getting better on the floor, balcony or corridor.
 
Abdul Baten, 65, a patient from the New Police Lines area of Nilphamari district, was admitted to the same ward last Friday with kidney ailment.
 
His wife, Monwara Begum, complained with sadness that the doctor did not talk to them properly and left after prescribing only medicines.
 
A patient from Parbatipur in Dinajpur, Md Masud, 42, was infected with dengue in Dhaka a few days ago and returned home after receiving treatment there. But he again fell sick.
 
Hoping to get good treatment, he was admitted to the NCD corner of the same ward. Since there was no seat, he had to stay on the floor as he had to pay Taka 100 to the ward boy to get a mattress.
 
The ward boy further took Taka 100 from Masud to bring the test reports.
 
He said that even the ward boy demanded Taka 400 to get him a vacant bed.

Anjuara Begum, 30, a housewife from Mission More area of Lalmonirhat district town, was admitted to the women's unit of the same ward last Monday with severe dizziness. She was forced to stay on the floor due to lack of beds as well.
 

Altaf Sarkar, 65, of Chakmomerojpur village in Gaibandha Sadar upazila was admitted to the cardiology ward number 4 of the hospital after suffering a heart attack on Monday night.
 
He was later shifted to the ward number 2 of the adjacent cardiology ward number 36.
 
He died the next day, Tuesday, at around 10:30 am.
 
Altaf Sarkar's nephew Mishuk, 36, also complained about doctor negligence in treating his uncle.

The patients immediately sought order restoration in the hospital, necessary staff recruiting and ensuring cleanliness.
 

Dr. Sarkar Moniruzzaman, Senior Store Officer, said due to the extreme shortage of cleaning staff, various departments are engaged in maintaining cleanliness as much as possible by bringing workers from outside at their own expense, but it is not enough.
 
He stressed the need for solving problems in storing and maintaining various goods including medicines and ensuring their safety as the hospital does not have a central store-cum-office building.
 
Ashikur Rahman Nayan, the ringleader of the syndicate that dominates all activities starting from food and medicine supply of the hospital for many years, was temporarily suspended a few years ago and now has been in hiding since the August 5 student-people's revolution.
 
Although the influence of Nayan, also the general secretary of the hospital's fourth class employees' union, seems to have diminished somewhat from an external perspective, no one has yet dared to speak out against him.
 
Officials and employees wishing not to be named said that although Nayan's forces have not interfered openly in the hospital's activities for the time being, his preferred people are still in charge of all activities, starting from food and medicine supply.
 
When asked about the overall scenario of RpMCH, its Deputy Director Dr Md Akhteruzzaman told BSS that higher authorities have been informed to resolve all the existing problems.
 
Currently, all hospital activities, including healthcare, are being carried out with limited manpower.
 
He said, even though it is a 1,000-bed hospital, 800 to 1,000 new patients from Rangpur division and other surrounding areas come to the emergency department every day and are admitted to the hospital.
 
In addition, about 3,000 patients receive medical services and medicines in the outdoor area every day.
 
Since there is no separate medicine allocation for the outdoor patients, efforts are being made to meet the demand as much as possible from the indoor allocation.
 
Many patients have to stay on the floor as around 2,000 and 2,500 people come to the 1000-bed hospital for treatment every day, the deputy director said.

He said that efforts are ongoing to solve all problems, including end of the syndication.
 
Dr Akhteruzzaman also echoed many doctors, expressing hope that after the newly appointed Director Brigadier General Ashikur Rahman takes charge, the overall situation at the hospital will improve at a faster pace.