Regular monitoring needed to provide services at the Upazila Health Complex
The majority of our population lives in rural areas of the country. For a large section of them, traveling to the capital or major cities to seek medical treatment is nearly impossible.
According to a newspaper report published recently, plans have been formulated under the directive of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to upgrade Upazila Health Complexes to 101-bed facilities and ensure the provision of quality healthcare services.
As per the plan, various medical services, such as modern operation theatres, intensive care units (ICUs), kidney dialysis units, and diagnostic facilities, comparable to those of district hospitals will be introduced in these hospitals in phases.
Quoting stakeholders in the health sector, the report stated that the foundation of the country’s Upazila health system was laid during the tenure of the Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.
Initiatives were undertaken at that time to establish 31-bed hospitals at the Upazila level to ensure medical services for the rural population.
Later, at the initiative of late Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, these hospitals were upgraded to 50-bed facilities.
Subsequently, there was no significant expansion of infrastructure or services in most of these hospitals for a long period.
The current government has taken the initiative to upgrade the Upazila Health Complexes to 101-bed facilities. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is following the path regarding healthcare shown by his parents.
In the recent past, the country’s healthcare system had virtually rotted away. Corruption, irregularities, negligence, and irresponsibility had become so rampant that people received little to no medical care at Upazila Health Complexes.
It was common to find that, despite having twenty or thirty doctors on the official roster, no more than two or four were actually present at the hospital.
There is a severe shortage of staff, including nurses and technicians. Hospital ambulances, X-ray machines, and other equipment are frequently out of order. Patients are often sent to private diagnostic centres for medical tests.
Many Upazila health centres do not even have a generator. So, an eerie atmosphere descends when the power goes out after dark.
According to health experts, the population is growing, and the incidence of diseases is on the rise. Therefore, there is no alternative to ensuring modern healthcare services in government hospitals at the upazila level.
However, alongside implementing expansion plans, it is also essential to ensure the quality utilization of existing facilities.
We believe the current government’s plan to expand modern healthcare services nationwide is commendable. However, at the same time, vigorous measures must be taken to eliminate existing irregularities and inconsistencies in this sector.
Healthcare operations require regular monitoring.
