Sunsila Jabrin, a reserved-seat member of parliament, told Parliament that Sherpur Sadar Hospital is in such a poor state that “the hospital itself is now in ICU.”
Raising the issue under Rule 71 during Sunday's budget session, she said the hospital, which serves around 1.7 million people in Sherpur, is struggling with severe manpower shortages and inadequate facilities.
According to the MP, patients often have to stay on floors, balconies and corridors because of a shortage of beds. All 10 senior consultant positions remain vacant, while existing doctors, nurses, cleaners and security staff are under pressure to manage about 700 patients daily. She also noted that the hospital has an ambulance but no driver and lacks enough lifts despite having a nine-storey building.
Jabrin said ICU and CCU units built during the COVID-19 period at a cost of approximately Tk 11 crore are lying unused due to a shortage of trained personnel. She alleged that the locked units have become gathering spots for drug users and that medical equipment has been stolen.
The MP further claimed that no health department staff have been recruited for the hospital since 2018. Although recruitment examinations were scheduled six times over the past eight years, she said they were repeatedly postponed.
She urged the government to take immediate steps to address the staffing crisis and improve healthcare services at Sherpur Sadar Hospital.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
