Country’s government medical colleges and hospitals are mired with acute manpower crisis, hampering medical education and healthcare services.
The healthcare institutions do not have sufficient workforce in line with the existing organogram. Interestingly, eight medical colleges are yet to get any organogram since its establishment.
Owing to the fact, medical education system is struggling and students are not getting proper education, DGHS sources said.
A total of 37 government medical colleges are functioning in the country to provide healthcare services to people, but the medical colleges, including Netrokona Medical College, Sheikh Hasina Medical College in Habiganj, Bangabandhu Medical College in Sunamganj, Nilphamari Medical College, Naogaon Medical College, Magura Medical College, Rangamati Medical College and Chandpur Medical College, have no organogram.
Of the medical colleges, no move is yet to be taken for the organogram of Bangabandhu Medical College in Sunamganj and file is being prepared to send it to public administration ministry over the organogram of Chandpur. Colleges in Naogaon, Nilphamari and Netrokona are
waiting for the approval of public administration ministry and colleges in Rangamati, Habiganj and Magura are yet to come into effect even after getting final nod from public administration ministry and finance ministry.
However, the medical colleges and hospitals having organograms are also facing manpower crisis as the organograms are decades old and there is no sufficient manpower as per the year-old organograms.
The organogram of DMCH was approved in 1988 for 1600-bed hospital but later it turned into a 2600-bed hospital. However, no initiative was taken to update the organogram. Apart from these, the hospital does not have adequate manpower as per its existing 1600-bed organogram.
Talking to the Daily Sun, Dhaka Medical College Hospital Director Dr Nazmul Haque acknowledged that they have manpower crisis indeed and it becomes evident during the Covid-19 period.
“The hospital and medical college has been suffering from manpower crisis as it does not have manpower according to its existing 1600-bed organogram though the DMCH has turned into 2600-bed hospital,” he said, adding that the hospital is currently giving service to over 4,200 patients.
“The 900-bed hospital is running with two-third manpower. Actually, over 1,500 patients are getting treatment every day," he said.
Talking about the situation of Khulna Medical College and Hospital, its director Dr Monzur Morshed said at least 150 posts of physicians remain vacant according to the approved organogram.
The Faridpur Medical College and Hospital was established in 1994 with 200 beds and it was upgraded to a 250-bed one after a year. Later, it was upgraded to a 500-bed one and the organogram was approved in 2013. Some 236 posts, including 40 posts of physicians and 109 posts of third class employees, remained vacant.
Faridpur Medical College and Hospital Director Dr Saifur Rahman said they are struggling to run the hospital as there is a severe manpower crisis.
Sources said Mansur Ali Medical College in Pabna is yet to complete its building for hospital and college and appoint physicians, creating obstacles for the students.
Besides, no land is yet to be acquired for constructing building for Sheikh Hasina Medical College in Habiganj. Owing to the facts, operation of 250-bed Habiganj hospital is being hampered as the two floors of the hospital building has been occupied by Sheikh Hasina Medical College for teaching students even after four years.
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) spokesperson Dr Mijanur Rahman told the Daily Sun that he does not know anything about it.
“I have been tested positive for coronavirus. I will not make any comment on it,” he said.
