West zone railway hospitals limp with lack of physicians

Six Bangladesh Railway hospitals and seven dispensaries in the west zone have been facing a severe shortage of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical technicians and other staff, depriving railway staff of services. 

These hospitals used to provide round the clock medical services to railway staff and their family members, treat injured staff, conduct regular health check-up and various tests, provide first aid boxes to guards and station masters, provide emergency ambulance service, etc.

Asim Kumar Talukder, general manager of Western Railway, said that 9,800 people are working against 21,700 posts in Western Railway at present. There are 37 posts for doctors in hospitals and dispensaries, against which there are only seven doctors. Besides, there are nine nurses against 33 posts and 18 pharmacists against 32 posts.  

In Parbatipur Railway Hospital and Santahar Railway Hospital, there is no doctor at all. Only one pharmacist is available instead.

There is no ambulance in any hospital except Paksey and Rajshahi Railway Hospital.

The seven doctors are given multiple administrative responsibilities and in most hospitals, and pharmacists are the primary care providers. 

Divisional Medical Officer (Sadar) of Railway Western Zone Dr SM Maruful Alam was on leave and in his absence Dr Shakil Ahmad, divisional medical officer of Pakshi Hospital, was given charge. 

Syedpur Railway Hospital Divisional Medical Officer Dr Anishul Haque has also been given additional charge of two posts – divisional medical officer of Lalmonirhat Railway Hospital and chief medical officer of Western Railway.

Many dispensaries do not even have pharmacists to provide first aid.

At present, in the 82-bed Syedpur Railway Hospital, 62 staff are working against 150 posts, including two doctors against seven posts, four nurses against 10 and three pharmacists against nine posts. There is no specialist doctor here. There is also a shortage of medicines. Valuable equipment lies abandoned. As a result, there are no facilities other than first aid in spite of having all the medical facilities.

However, Dr Anisul Haque, medical officer of the hospital, claimed that patients come every day at the outdoor. Besides, mild surgery, X-ray and ECG tests are also done. 

A recent visit to the Rajshahi Railway Hospital revealed that there was no doctor in the 20-bed hospital. No patient was admitted. Pharmacist Abdul Aziz, who was providing service to outdoor patients, said around 100 patients receive treatment every day.

Md Kawsar, a pointsman at Sardah station in Rajshahi, said, "As there is no doctor in Rajshahi Railway Hospital, we do not go there. Sometimes, I go to the hospital and bring medicine for fever, cold and cough for the family members."

Another hospital, Lalmonirhat Railway Hospital once used to provide various medical services including caesarean operation, cholera treatment for children, blood tests, but now it is closed. There is a doctor at present against seven posts, two nurses against seven posts and three pharmacists against seven posts.

Lalmonirhat Divisional Hospital covers Parvatipur Railway Hospital and dispensaries at Keloka, Tistamukh Ghat and Bonarpara in Parvatipur. Altogether, only 91 people are working against 234 posts.

Parbatipur Railway Hospital has three posts of doctors but not a single doctor is currently working there. Three nurses are working instead against five posts and one pharmacist is working against two posts. No tests are done in this hospital. Pharmacists provide medical care.

In Pakshi Railway Hospital, there are 45 people working against 86 posts – two doctors against five posts, three nurses against eight posts and two pharmacists against three posts.

In Santahar Railway Hospital, there is no doctor against two posts. Only one pharmacist and one nurse provide service. Besides, there are supposed to be two doctors in each of the Ishwardi, Rajbari and Khulna dispensaries, but there is only one doctor in the Khulna dispensary. The rest of the dispensaries are run by pharmacists.

Dr Shakil Ahmed, divisional medical officer of Paksey, said that there is a huge shortage of manpower in the hospital. Santahar's indoor services have been stopped due to lack of doctors. Only outdoor service is offered. Besides, 100 to 120 patients are treated daily in Pakshi Railway Hospital's outdoor department, but the indoor patient admission rate is low.

He said patients are not admitted due to lack of specialist doctors in the hospital. They only take first aid from the outdoor.

The surgery room has been closed for 20 years due to lack of required manpower. Besides, there is no X-ray attendant, no lab attendant. The X-ray machine was also closed for a year due to lack of film.

Asim Kumar Talukder, general manager of Western Railway, said the process of recruitment of 2,000 manpower is underway. Other vacancies will also be filled gradually.

He added that Tk84,48,494 was allocated in 2019-20, Tk95,02,767 in 2020-21 and Tk98,04,502 in 2021-22 for the health care of the officers and employees working in the Western Railway.