Although the burn unit of Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) has 26 beds, an average of 50 to 60 patients are admitted here.
CMCH has no ICU [Intensive Care Unit] for the critical patients in the ward. Hence, if more than 20-30 percent burns are sustained, they have to rush to Dhaka. Additionally, there is a shortage of manpower.
Victims ask- what will happen to the patients who were burned or burned in the fire in Chattogram. How long will they have to depend on Dhaka?
Khorshed Alam, coordinator of the Chattogram Development Forum, said that at least 60 shipyards have been built in Sitakunda, Chattogram, centered on the Bay of Bengal. 50,000 people are directly involved in this industry.
There are about 500 garments in Chittagong. At least 800,000 workers work in these ready-made garment factories. Chittagong has the largest seaport in the country. Product handling is done here on a large scale. Workers work in these institutions constantly taking risks. Accidents like fire and gas explosions occur. Even after 55 years of independence, a self-contained burn unit has not been established in such an important city.
On Monday, two people died and three were seriously injured in a fire. On June 4, 2022, 52 people died and at least 500 people were injured in the BM container explosion. In 2024, a total of 1,283 people were admitted to the burn unit of CMCH. Of these, 124 died.
8,721 received treatment in the outpatient department, 1,562 received follow-up treatment in the internal department, and 601 surgeries were performed.
Dr Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Professor of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of CMCH, said that burn patients are different from other patients. Burn patients need to be treated with specialized methods and systems. Most patients need ICU. But here, there is a shortage of not only ICUs, but also general beds.
He said that the construction of a new burn institute is underway. If it is launched, the suffering of burn patients will be eased. Dedicated treatment facilities including ICU have been set up for burn patients there.
He said that the government has approved the construction of a 150-bed ‘Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit’ at a cost of around 285 crore taka in the Goachi Bagan area near CMCH. Of this, the Chinese government will provide 180 crore taka as a grant, and the government will provide the rest.
Currently, its structural work is underway. It will have 10 ICU beds including an emergency department, 20 HDU beds, 10 each for men and women, and five HDU beds for children.
Translated by Afsar Munna
