Despite increasing its annual budget by more than Tk32 crore for the 2026–27 fiscal year, Jagannath University (JnU) has made only a marginal increase in spending on student healthcare, allocating just Tk150 per student annually for nearly 20,000 students.
The university has set its total budget at Tk330 crore for FY2026–27, of which only Tk30 lakh has been earmarked for primary healthcare services. Last year, the allocation stood at Tk25 lakh. As a result, although the overall budget has increased by more than Tk32 crore, healthcare funding has risen by only Tk5 lakh, increasing per-student healthcare spending from Tk125 to Tk150.
Students and university stakeholders say such a limited allocation is far from sufficient to ensure even basic healthcare services.
Located on just seven acres in Dhaka’s Sadarghat area, Jagannath University has nearly 20,000 students enrolled across 38 departments and two institutes. More than two decades after its establishment, however, the university continues to struggle with inadequate healthcare infrastructure, staffing and funding.
Medical centre plagued by manpower and equipment shortages
According to university sources, the medical centre’s approved organisational structure expired in 2019. At the time, only seven staff members were serving against 18 approved positions. Although the university has repeatedly proposed revised staffing structures, including a new proposal for 69 positions submitted in 2025, none has yet been approved.
The medical centre is the only source of primary healthcare for around 20,000 students, nearly 700 teachers and about 300 officers and employees. However, shortages of doctors, medicines and medical equipment have significantly limited its capacity.
Currently, the centre has no specialist physicians and is staffed by only two MBBS doctors, assisted by three medical assistants, one nurse, two office assistants and one support staff member. It also has only one ambulance for emergency patient transport.
The facility lacks a pathology laboratory, ECG services and modern diagnostic equipment, while the number of patient beds is insufficient. Consequently, patients requiring advanced treatment are usually referred to outside hospitals.
‘Every illness is treated with Napa’
Students say the increase in the university’s overall budget has not translated into improved healthcare services.
Mosabbir Hossain, a student from the 2022–23 academic session, said doctors often fail to listen carefully to patients and usually prescribe only Napa, paracetamol or oral saline regardless of the illness. “There is little opportunity for diagnostic tests or specialist consultations,” he said.
Prapti Saha, a student from the 2024–25 session, echoed similar concerns. “Almost everyone receives the same medicines regardless of their condition. We often have to buy medicines outside because the medical centre cannot provide what we need,” she said.
Highlighting the staffing crisis, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Mita Shabnam said she is effectively the only physician responsible for treating more than 20,000 students.
“Only five other staff members work with me, including two technical officers, one medical assistant and two MLSS employees. Around 400 patients visit the centre every day. Under these circumstances, providing adequate healthcare is almost impossible,” she said.
Dr Shabnam added that the limited annual budget also prevents the medical centre from supplying patients with complete courses of medication.
“Our priority is to distribute medicines as fairly as possible among everyone, but we cannot provide full treatment because of budget constraints,” she said.
Counselling centre also faces resource crisis
The university’s counselling centre, established on 3 January 2022, to provide free mental health support for students experiencing depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, examination stress and other psychological problems, is also struggling because of limited funding and manpower.
The centre currently receives only about Tk25,000 per month for operational expenses and is managed by the Department of Psychology. Counselling services are provided primarily by 30 postgraduate intern counsellors under the supervision of five faculty advisers. Each session lasts 45 to 50 minutes, with around 12 students receiving services daily.
Officials at the centre said demand is much higher, with around 30 students seeking counselling every day. Last year alone, 378 students received counselling services.
However, the university has yet to appoint a full-time professional counsellor. Teachers and interns continue to provide services alongside their academic responsibilities.
Dr Farzana Ahmed, convener of the Counselling Management Committee, said the absence of permanent counsellors has made it difficult to sustain quality services. “As teachers, we already have regular classes, examinations and academic responsibilities. We continue counselling through personal commitment, but this model is not sustainable without permanent staff,” she said.
She added that a proposal to recruit permanent counsellors had been submitted to the University Grants Commission (UGC) during the previous administration but has yet to receive approval.
University Treasurer Professor Dr Sabina Sharmin said proposals for revised organisational structures for both the medical and counselling centres have already been approved by the university syndicate and forwarded to the UGC. “Once the UGC approves them, we will be able to recruit the necessary staff,” she said.
