A dire state of mismanagement and infrastructure collapse was revealed at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RpMCH) on Sunday during an inspection by three members of Parliament (MPs).
The visit highlighted that out of 26 X-ray machines, 24 are currently non-functional, while critical services like CT scans and MRI facilities are also largely out of commission.
The inspection, which began at 11am, was led by Mahbubur Rahman Belal, member of Parliament for Rangpur-3 and chairman of Hospital Management Committee.
He was accompanied by Golam Rabbani, MP for Rangpur-5, Raihan Siraji, MP for Rangpur-1, and the Hospital Director Brigadier General Ashiqur Rahman.
Equipment failure and neglect
During the tour, which lasted until 12:30pm and covered the emergency department, various wards, and machinery rooms, the lawmakers found broken equipment covered in piles of rubbish and emitting foul odours.
Hospital authorities informed the MPs that of the 24 broken X-ray machines, 20 are beyond repair, while four could potentially be restored.
Two out of the hospital’s three CT scan machines and two out of its three MRI machines are unserviceable and unrepairable. Out of 13 ultrasonogram machines, 10 are inactive, with eight of them being irreparable.
Beyond diagnostic machinery, the hospital faces a severe shortage of ICU beds, with only 10 available to serve the entire division, as well as a crisis regarding ambulances.
Bureaucratic hurdles
The lawmakers expressed frustration over “bureaucratic complexities” preventing the removal of condemned machinery. Although meetings have been held to clear the rooms, the old equipment remains, blocking the installation of new machines.
MP Siraji noted that while some usable instruments exist, they are deteriorating due to a lack of manpower, which he described as a waste of national resources and a disservice to the public. MP Belal added that there has been no government initiative to replace the 20 irreparable X-ray machines.
“Dalal” syndicates
The inspection also brought to light the harassment of patients by “dalal” (middleman) syndicates, who have gained dominance due to the hospital’s severe manpower shortage. The MPs interacted with patients and their relatives, who shared grievances regarding the lack of service and the presence of these syndicates.
The lawmakers also strongly criticised an incident involving intern doctors who reportedly detained a deceased person’s body and forced the grieving son to perform sit-ups while holding his ears.
Following the inspection, the MPs addressed the media, promising to raise these issues in Parliament and meet personally with the health minister to seek immediate solutions.
MP Golam Rabbani stated, “We will collectively present these findings and our experiences to the minister. I believe he is viewing these matters seriously, and if we raise these concerns together, a solution will be reached”.
The hospital director confirmed that all necessary data and information regarding the hospital’s crises had been provided to the visiting lawmakers, expressing hope for a swift resolution.
