Khalil Uddin Farid, Bhola

The 250-bed General Hospital in Bhola is one of the main sources of advanced medical care for nearly 2.2 million residents of the district. However, the hospital’s six-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has remained locked and nonfunctional for the past five years. Due to a lack of required manpower, the facility has never been put into operation, raising concerns that government-funded medical equipment worth millions of taka may become unusable. Patients suffering from critical illnesses and their families have expressed growing frustration over the situation.

According to hospital sources, a six-bed ICU unit was established on the third floor of the hospital’s new multi-storey building in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government supplied five ventilators, seven oxygen concentrators, six high-flow nasal cannulas, and other modern medical equipment for the facility. A central oxygen supply system was also installed. However, due to the absence of skilled personnel, the ICU has remained closed since its establishment.

Hospital authorities said that the institution is facing an acute shortage of doctors and nurses. Of the approved 87 physician posts, only 23 are currently filled. Similarly, only 76 nurses are serving against 92 sanctioned positions. The hospital has just one cardiology specialist to treat heart patients. Meanwhile, the number of patients seeking treatment every day is nearly three times the hospital’s capacity.

Md. Abu Kalam Hawlader, an octogenarian patient from Rajapur Union in Bhola Sadar Upazila, who has been undergoing treatment in the male medicine ward, expressed his frustration, saying, “I am not receiving proper treatment here. My children admitted me to this hospital because we cannot afford treatment elsewhere.”

Another patient, Md. Formuzul Haque Hawlader (84) from Uttar Dighaldi Union, said, “I have been lying on this hospital bed for days. My condition remains the same as when I was admitted. There has been no improvement in my health.”

Relatives of patients, including Laizu Begum, Monowara Begum and Ali Akbar, said they were unable to seek treatment in Dhaka or Barishal due to financial constraints. They alleged that a physician briefly visits the ward in the morning, but specialist doctors are rarely available afterward.

Md. Omar Faruk of Pokkhia Union in Borhanuddin Upazila was referred from the Upazila Health Complex to Bhola General Hospital after suffering a heart attack. His nephew, Md. Russell, alleged that his uncle did not receive adequate cardiac care there. “After bringing my uncle here, we could not get proper treatment for his heart condition. We are now forced to take him to another hospital,” he said.

Local residents Md. Rakib and Hasnain questioned the purpose of establishing the ICU if it remains unused for years despite huge public expenditure.

According to them, most critically ill patients are referred to hospitals in Dhaka or Barishal, and many lose their lives on the way. They warned that more lives could be lost if the ICU is not made operational immediately.

Dr. Taiyebur Rahman, Superintendent of Bhola 250-Bed General Hospital, said that operating an ICU requires specialist physicians, anesthetists, trained nurses, and other skilled personnel. He added that the matter has already been reported in writing to the higher authorities.

“We will certainly start the ICU unit once the required manpower and facilities are provided,” he said.

Regarding patient referrals, Dr. Rahman said the hospital provides treatment to the best of its capacity. However, patients requiring specialized care are referred to higher-level medical facilities.

Conscious citizens of Bhola have urged the government to take immediate and effective measures to make the long-idle ICU unit operational. They hope that this much-needed facility will soon be opened to the public and help ensure proper treatment for critically ill patients facing life-threatening conditions.