Eight govt medical college hospitals to get 10,000 new beds

Infograph: TBS

The health ministry will increase the capacity of public health services by adding around 10,000 new beds to eight major government medical college hospitals across the country.

The measure is aimed at providing more extensive health services to a greater number of people.

A decision regarding the plan was reached at a meeting chaired by Health Minister Zahid Malik on 2 April.

According to officials, the medical college hospitals that will receive new beds are Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Chattogram Medical College Hospital, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, Rangpur Medical College Hospital, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, and Khulna Medical College Hospital.

With the exception of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, each of these medical college hospitals will receive between 500 and 1,500 new beds.

The Directorate General of Health Services will develop a project plan to construct and renovate buildings to accommodate the new beds. The project is expected to be launched in the upcoming fiscal year.

The operating theatres in these hospitals will also undergo modernisation, and the number of beds in the intensive care units (ICUs) will be increased.

According to the preliminary decision, 2,400 new beds will be added to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, which is currently the largest hospital of its kind in the country with a total of 2,600 beds. Currently, the hospital admits at least 3,800 patients on a daily basis for medical treatment.

Patients from all over the country come to this hospital seeking treatment. However, due to the limited number of beds, many patients have to stay in various vacant spaces inside the hospital, including balconies.

People concerned said staying in these areas poses a risk of patients contracting various diseases, and it also makes it challenging for the hospital authorities to maintain cleanliness. Similar situations are found in other medical college hospitals across the country.

Brigadier General Nazmul Haque, director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, told The Business Standard, "There was already a plan to increase the number of beds at DMCH. Now, the health ministry has extended this plan to other medical college hospitals."

He added, "Each hospital in the country currently provides treatment to two or more patients than the number of available beds. Adding new beds will significantly reduce patient suffering and the risk of infection. Additionally, the work environment for healthcare providers in these hospitals will improve, and government expenditure on patients will also decrease."

Some 1,500 new beds will be added to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Brigadier General Shamim Ahsan, director of the hospital, said that the health ministry has decided to increase the number of beds in response to the current situation, where patients are sometimes forced to stay in balconies or garages due to bed shortages.

At present, Chattogram Medical College Hospital has 800 beds and receives over 3,000 patients seeking medical treatment every day.

Dr Md Rabiul Hasan, director of Khulna Medical College Hospital, told TBS that the hospital is set to receive an additional 500 beds. A new building will be constructed to accommodate this increase in bed capacity.

Currently, Khulna Medical College Hospital serves patients with 500 beds. However, on average, 1,000 patients seek medical treatment at the hospital daily.

Dr Md Yunus Ali, director of Rangpur Medical College Hospital, confirmed that the number of beds in the hospital will be increased. However, he did not disclose the specific number of new beds to be added to the hospital's existing 1,000-bed capacity.

Meanwhile, another source revealed that the Directorate General of Health Services has decided to add 1,000 new beds to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

Currently, there are 37 government medical college hospitals in the country, with approximately 14,000 beds between them. However, these hospitals have a patient admission rate of one and a half to two times more than their available bed capacity.

In addition to the medical college hospitals, there are 52,560 beds in other government hospitals throughout the country.

People concerned said with the advancement of medical technology, there has been an increased desire among the people of Bangladesh to seek modern treatment. As a result, the pressure on hospitals has increased, but the capacity of the hospitals has not increased proportionately. 

Currently, there is less than one bed in public and private hospitals in the country for every 1,000 people, whereas the World Health Organisation recommends at least 3.5 beds per thousand people. 

Bangladesh has a large middle-aged population, and the number of elderly citizens is expected to increase in the future, leading to a further increase in the number of patients receiving hospital services.