Published : 11 Sep 2026, 03:19 PM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:49 AM
Haimchar Upazila Health Complex in Chandpur is meant to have 24 doctors on staff. Only nine are now working there.
Against 95 approved posts for officials and staff, only 43 are filled.
Alongside the doctor shortage, this broader manpower gap is disrupting the hospital's routine operations.
The crisis extends beyond staffing. The hospital also lacks essential medical equipment and infrastructure, with no X-ray machine and no operation theatre.
There is not even enough room for doctors to sit, forcing several to see patients while sharing just two
chambers.
As a result, patients travelling from distant areas often have to go to private facilities or Chandpur town for essential tests.
Critical patients frequently need to be referred to Chandpur as well, adding further hardship for residents of this river-bound, Char-dominated Upazila.
These details emerged from visits to the Haimchar Upazila Health Complex and conversations with patients, their relatives and hospital staff.
Patients Treated In Corridors
With the hospital short on beds, some patients end up being treated in the corridors.
Five fans have been installed there to ease the discomfort, though it does little to fully resolve the problem.
Several patients said they had no choice but to receive treatment amid these shortages. Without a bed, they end up sitting or lying in the corridor.
Many tests simply cannot be done at the hospital and must be arranged externally.
Critical patients are told to go to Chandpur.
Aminul Islam, relative of patient Abdur Rahman from Algi Dakshin, said he wanted treatment at the hospital but had to go elsewhere for tests.
"If the problem gets worse, we have to take the patient to Chandpur. Crossing the river with a patient is an enormous struggle for us," he said.
Children Face Greater Hardship
Relatives of child patients say the shortage of facilities hits them hardest, particularly when oxygen support is needed.
Rakibul Islam, relative of a child patient from Algi, said sick children need urgent treatment. "It's terrifying when you come here and run into trouble getting oxygen or the necessary support.
“If things get worse, we have to take them to Chandpur."
Patients say Haimchar's geography makes it essential to boost the Upazila health complex's capacity further.
Without ensuring emergency care at the Upazila level for people living along the river and Chars, they are forced to travel to Chandpur town, costing them both time and money.
Nine Doctors Instead Of 24
Haimchar Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Mahmudunnabi Masum said the health complex has 24 approved doctor posts, of which only nine are filled, leaving 15 vacant.
Similarly, against 95 approved posts for officials and staff, only 43 are filled, a shortfall of 52.
The manpower shortage is placing extra strain on doctors, he said, with a limited number having to juggle outpatient, emergency and various other duties.
Those associated with the hospital say a new building alone will not boost healthcare capacity.
Without adequate doctors, nurses, staff and equipment, new infrastructure will not deliver its full benefit either.
No X-Ray, No Operation Theatre
The health complex has no X-ray machine.
As a result, patients needing X-rays, whether after accidents, for bone issues or on a doctor's advice, must go to private diagnostic centres or other hospitals, adding both cost and delay.
Beyond X-rays, the health complex also lacks an operation theatre.
Patients requiring surgery must be referred elsewhere, even though accidents or emergencies can demand urgent operations.
The absence of these basic facilities at a health complex in a river-bound Upazila like Haimchar is causing hardship for local residents.
Khorshed Alam, a resident near Haimchar's Gazipur, said: "I needed advanced treatment for an operation, so I had to go to Chandpur's 250 Bed General Hospital. That treatment isn't available in Haimchar."
Amena Begum said, "I came to the hospital with my sick child. Several necessary tests couldn't be done here. I had to get them done outside."
They allege that quickly transferring a patient to another hospital in an emergency is not always possible.
Given the river crossing and distance involved, taking a patient to Chandpur adds to both time and cost, raising the risk of delayed treatment for emergency patients.
Building Remains Unfinished
Construction of a new building to address the hospital's infrastructure crisis began in 2019.
Work on the four-storey building, designed for 50 beds, remains unfinished after a long stretch of time.
Dr Masum said the earlier work order was cancelled and a fresh one issued. Around 75 percent of the building's construction has now been completed.
Those involved believe completing and launching the new building quickly would help ease some of the hospital's current crisis.
Efforts are under way to upgrade the health complex's current 31-bed capacity to 101 beds, he added.
The newly constructed four-storey building is, however, designed for only 50 beds. Achieving a 101-bed hospital will require constructing additional buildings in the future.
Md Shafiqur Rahman of Algi said, "Long-term planning is needed now for the hospital's infrastructure, manpower and medical equipment."
IPS The Only Backup When Power Fails
The facility also lacks a generator. Dr Masum said the hospital struggles to keep its services running whenever power goes out.
Some hospital functions currently continue through an IPS arranged through his personal initiative.
But the absence of a generator or similar backup for an essential healthcare institution like this creates real risk.
Power-dependent services, including the emergency department, child patient care and oxygen supply, are particularly at risk of disruption.
Dr Masum said if power cuts out during a critical moment, it could directly affect patient treatment.
Haimchar Upazila Press Club General Secretary Zahidul Islam said, "For the people of river and char-bound Haimchar, the Upazila health complex isn't just a hospital, it's their closest lifeline in an emergency.
"If that lifeline itself remains weak due to shortages in manpower, equipment and infrastructure, it's the poor and helpless patients of remote areas who will suffer the most."
