Dhaka Mohanagar Shishu Hospital shutdown is just an example of wasting resources
The inpatient services at the Dhaka South City Corporation’s only hospital dedicated for children – Dhaka Mohanagar Shishu Hospital – remain shut since July amidst the worst-ever dengue outbreak that sees people scramble for a bed at hospitals.
The hospital authorities said they are conducting dengue tests free of cost daily on an average for 40 children at the outpatient department, but unable to admit anyone in their 100-bed facility for staff shortage.
All the dengue patients are being referred to other hospitals as indoor services at the hospital remain suspended.
Health rights activists blamed lack of accountability of the authorities behind the suspension of services in the public hospital, while people struggle to get a bed in any city hospital as the dengue outbreak wreaks havoc on the country.
The Directorate General of Health Services reports that a total of 184,717 dengue patients, including 34,435 children, were hospitalised with 893 people, including 102 children below 15 years of age, died of the mosquito borne viral fever this year up till September 22.
Dhaka Mohanagar Shishu Hospital is the lone child healthcare facility in the capital run by a local government body, as the Dhaka North City Corporation has no hospital of its own.
However, the Health Ministry has a child hospital in the capital’s Agargaon under the DNCC chaptered area.
The hospital used to provide inpatient services admitting children for all its 100 beds until the city corporation was divided.
In 2016, the organogram of the hospital was revised resulting in its number of posts reduced to 124 from 194 with the removal of 70 posts.
Still with a handful of staff the hospital had been offering indoor services, admitting child patients for 50 beds until July this year, when some of the physicians took maternity and other leaves, compelling the authority to suspend the inpatient services entirely.
However, on an average 300 patients with 40 dengue symptomatic ones currently visit its outpatient department daily for doctors’ consultation. The incident is a textbook example of wasting resources.
No responsibility is found to resume the hospitals. Despite huge investment being made, infrastructure developed, people do not get any benefit. This is the way the government works!
