Bishwanath health services in poor state
S A Shofiee, Sylhet :
Bishwanath upazila in Sylhet district, with a population of about 250,000, has only one upazila health center, 5 sub-centers, a family planning center and 19 community clinics.
Compared to the population, the medical system in the upazila is inadequate. And these are insignificant for primary treatment of people in 8 unions.
As a result, this expatriate-dominated township near Sylhet lags far behind in medical services.
The residents of the upazila are angry and distressed about this as they are deprived of civil rights. Although various demands, including improving the quality of medical centers and treatment, have been made for a long time, the demands have remained unfulfilled for ages.
A visit to the upazila on the ground revealed widespread irregularities, negligence in healthcare, shortage of medicines and doctors, unsanitary conditions, and lack of services for service recipients.
There are allegations of stealing medicines from health centers and selling them to various pharmacies.
Mismanagement and irregularities have become the norm in every sub-health center and upazila complex! Service seekers are turning away due to the lack of officials, employees, nannies, and guards in hospitals, sub-health centers, and community clinics.
They are leaning towards private medical care. But it is quite difficult for low-income people to receive private medical care. They are living a difficult life with diseases due to being deprived of government medical care.
The poor residents of this township are at extreme health risk due to carrying diseases in their bodies for a long time due to the economic crisis. There is one 50-bed upazila health complex in this upazila with an area of 214.50 square kilometers.
According to the information provided by Upazila Health Officer Delwar Hossain Sumon, there are only 2 doctors here despite the posts of 5 doctors.
There are no doctors in Dighali sub-health center of Lamakazi Union No. 1, Bishwanath Sadar Union Health Center, Dashghar Union Health Center, and Alonkari Union Health Center.
These centers only have one family welfare inspector and midwife post, and in some cases, two doctors.
An average of 15-20 patients come to these health centers every day. But due to the lack of medicines and doctors, patients have to return empty-handed.
When I spoke to Nilima Rani Das, the family planning officer of Bishwanath Sadar Union Health Center, she said that there has been no center in-charge or doctor at this center for 3 years.