Empty beds, staffing crisis: A large hospital limited to dengue care alone!

The sprawling 180,560-square-foot hospital has only 84 doctors and around 70 nurses on its payroll

An expansive six-storey structure located in the heart of Dhaka city, the DNCC Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital in Mohakhali was built as a bulwark against COVID-19.

Today, the sprawling 180,560-square-foot facility stands nearly empty, its potential stymied by a severe manpower shortage, even as hospitals across Dhaka grapple with an overwhelming patient load.

The hospital, which houses 1,054 beds — including 212 for intensive care and 288 for high-dependency care — is equipped with modern diagnostic tools, oxygen connections for every bed, and gears for over 50 kinds of tests.

However, its wards remain largely unused, save for the treatment of dengue patients, a service the facility began offering during a nationwide outbreak in 2022.

According to public health experts, hiring more staff may expand the scope of its services, reducing the pressure on other hospitals located in the capital.

Initially, Dhaka North City Corporation, or DNCC, had built a market on the 2.9 hectares of land next to the Mohakhali bus stand. However, as it was unable to draw traders, the market complex was later repurposed into a COVID-19 facility during the pandemic in 2020.

Its design includes 554 general beds, 148 high-flow nasal cannulas, 52 BiPAP machines, and 650 oxygen cylinders.

After COVID-19 cases waned in the country, the facility shifted its focus to providing dengue treatment, as per a directive from the Directorate General of Health Services, or DGHS, in 2023.

Despite its infrastructure, the hospital has only 84 doctors and around 70 nurses on its payroll — far from the numbers needed to operate at full capacity.

In addition to treating dengue patients, medicine, gynaecology, paediatric and cardiology specialists also see patients in this hospital.

Paediatricians see their patients on Saturdays and Tuesdays from 9am to 1am, while the doctors from all other departments are available on all days except Fridays.

On Friday, as many as 158 dengue patients were admitted to the hospital for treatment.

AN EMPTY HOSPITAL

The ground floor of DNCC Hospital houses the administrative block, triage, outpatient department and pharmacy. Meanwhile, the fourth and fifth floors have been reserved for men, and the third floor has been set aside for women. The sixth floor of the hospital harbours the ICU.

On Wednesday, each floor of the DNCC Hospital was nearly empty with only a few patients admitted in the wards. Although ICU – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 were empty, and there were patients in ICU – 7, 8, and 9.

A doctor of the hospital, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Covid and dengue patients are being treated. There are no Covid patients now. When dengue cases rise, the beds are cleaned and patients are accommodated. At other times, it is empty.”

However, patients say they are satisfied with the quality of treatment and management of the hospital. But they expressed disappointment over the lack of emergency medical facilities, including outpatient services.

Mozammel Haque, a resident of Badda, told bdnews24.com that he admitted his wife to the DNCC Hospital for dengue treatment.

“I took her to a private hospital earlier. Spent around Tk 20,000, but she did not recover. I later admitted her here. I didn't even have to spend Tk 100. She is doing well now. The doctors and nurses are doing her treatment properly, and the environment is also good.”

However, Ashiqur Rahman, a resident of Dhaka’s Mohammadpur said his experience in the hospital was quite the contrary.

On Thursday, he told bdnews24.com: “I went there with a fever. But it took me 2.5-3 hours to get a CBC test done. As a potential dengue patient, I needed to get this service faster. I felt the speed of their service was slow. The hospital needs more staff.”

Ashraful Islam, a school teacher from Mohakhali, said: “This hospital is located in the middle of Dhaka. It would be good if it could provide treatment for all types of diseases besides dengue. Then people would not have to push through the traffic to reach Dhaka Medical College or Suhrawardy Hospital.”

Public health expert Dr Mustuq Ahmed told bdnews24.com: “There is no government hospital in this area of northern Dhaka. There is always an onrush of patients in Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital and Kurmitola General Hospital in Uttara. The health ministry should take over from the city corporation to solve the problem quickly. And if the city corporation wants to run it, they will have to prepare an organogram. Specialist doctors, nurses, and paramedics will have to be appointed.”

WHO WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY?

DNCC Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital Director Colonel AKM Johirul Hossain Khan has admitted to several limitations in the hospital including workforce crisis.

According to him, there is a shortage of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in the hospital. In addition, some of the newly appointed doctors and nurses have yet to join.

“This is very limited manpower. Because we have to see the patients who come here multiple times a day. Dengue patients require repeated follow-ups. As such, there is a staffing shortage. We do not have the skilled manpower required to offer 24-hour service, or see patients who are in critical condition. We only have two doctors available for anaesthesia. This is why we are not being able to provide ICU, ventilation facilities.”

He also said that arrangements have been made in the hospital’s outpatient department for gynaecology, medicine, cardiology, and paediatric specialists.

According to Johirul, the DNCC does not have the capacity to run such a big hospital.

“It is possible to provide services on a large scale if the health ministry takes over.”

When asked if any such proposal had been made to the ministry, he said: “This is actually a policy-making issue. However, we have sent a proposal in this regard. There is a matter of initiative by the ministry here.”

While speaking on the issue, DGHS Director General Dr Abu Jafor said he had recently visited the hospital.

“Doctors are being sent on attachment since there is no manpower there,” he said.

Dr Jafor told bdnews24.com: “We send doctors according to the demand of the hospital. We will send them the trainees from Dhaka Medical College for a month. This will reduce the manpower crisis to some extent.”

According to him, the ministry will have to take over from the DNCC in order to run a full-fledged hospital.

“We have to proceed with it from the ministry. An organogram is needed for a permanent hospital. The government may take a decision on the matter.”

Meanwhile, DNCC Chief Executive Officer Mir Khairul Alam has said that the administration will provide support if the health ministry decides to take charge of the hospital.

“Our infrastructure has been used here. We have some simple involvement. The health ministry will see whether the scope of the service can be expanded. We will cooperate if they decide to convert it into a general hospital.”