Rumeen Farhana flags Sarail hospital crisis in parliament, says it is ‘like a patient itself’

Lawmakers speak of wider hospital shortages during a debate on a proposed hospital in Narayanganj

Independent MP Rumeen Farhana has described the 50-bed hospital in Brahmanbaria's Sarail, which serves a population of 350,000, as being “like a patient itself” in parliament.

She detailed the severe shortages of personnel and infrastructure while speaking on an amendment to a proposal for a new 200-bed hospital in Narayanganj's Siddhirganj.

The Brahmanbaria-2 lawmaker noted on Thursday that the hospital, catering to nine unions, suffers from a “lack” of doctors, staff, medicines, and modern equipment.

She pointed out that 64 positions remain vacant, including nine for consultants and doctors, six for nurses, two for medical technologists, 15 for field staff, and eight for health assistants.

Rumeen also told the House that infrastructure upgrades have hit a brick wall.

According to her, a plan to construct a six-storey building at a cost of Tk 100 million was abandoned as the contractor fled after Aug 5, 2024, forcing medical services to continue in the dilapidated two-storey structure.

The discussion followed a proposal by Narayanganj-3 MP Azharul Islam Mannan.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain responded by noting that the nearby 300-bed general hospital is already being upgraded to a 500-bed facility, making a new hospital in Siddhirganj “unnecessary” for now.

Following the minister's assurances, Mannan withdrew his proposal with the speaker's permission.