Aleya Begum (a pseudonym) is a resident of Raghunathpur village in the Haluaghat Upazila of Mymensingh. She is over 60 years old. The elderly woman has been suffering from a cold-related infection for several days and also experiencing shortness of breath. She came to Mymensingh Medical College (MMMC) Hospital for treatment. Although she was admitted, due to a lack of available beds, she was eventually accommodated in the hospital’s stairway. Just like her, many other patients with complicated conditions are also seen lying on the floor in the hospital to receive treatment.

Currently, the number of patients receiving treatment at the hospital exceeds its capacity by more than three times on average each day. With both indoor and outdoor departments combined, the hospital sees around 9,000 patients daily. Due to shortages in both staff and infrastructure, the quality of healthcare services is severely compromised. The institution is struggling to provide necessary care amid the overwhelming number of patients. As the pressure of patients increases, the hospital’s healthcare providers are finding it difficult to deliver the desired level of treatment, according to those seeking care at the hospital.

Doctors involved in the hospital’s management believe that increasing the hospital’s infrastructure capacity is essential to handle the overwhelming number of patients. The hospital’s Assistant Director (Admin), Dr. Muhammad Mynuddin Khan, pointed out that the shortage of buildings is making it increasingly difficult to provide medical care to the patients.

Speaking to Bonik Barta, he said, “The hospital faces a shortage of doctors which is gradually being addressed. But due to the building shortage, it is becoming very difficult to properly serve the patients. To provide proper care in proportion to the number of patients, additional doctors, nurses, and staff are needed. The hospital sees around 9,000 patients daily, and the space required to treat that many people is simply not available. There is an urgent need for building expansion and recruitment of staff.”

The Health Bulletin 2023 data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) suggests that the hospital has a total of 1,000 beds. With a bed occupancy rate stands at 326.5 percent, 3.25 times more patients than the number of beds were admitted on average for treatment daily in 2023. Hospital authority and doctors have confirmed that this number has further increased in recent times.

1,152,594 patients received treatment in the hospital’s outpatient department In 2023. And 69,590 patients sought care in the emergency department. 313,581 patients were admitted for treatment in total.

Dr. Ali Reza Siddiquee, Assistant Director (Finance & Store) of MMCH, told Bonik Barta, “This hospital was established in 1962. It has earned recognition as one of the top government hospitals in the country multiple times. In 2017, it became the first medical college hospital in the country to introduce a One-Stop Service, operating with local management and donations in addition to government planning and funding. This service provides round-the-clock emergency treatment for accidents and urgent patients along the highway.”

However, the hospital’s infrastructure and staffing shortages are undermining the benefits of these facilities. According to sources, the hospital’s inpatient department is treating about 4,500 patients daily on average. Despite the constant increase in patient numbers, there are not enough doctors to manage the situation. The hospital is authorized to have 425 doctor positions, but over a hundred of them remain vacant. In the outpatient department, about 5,000 patients are treated daily. Against this, only 50 doctors available are available there.

On-site observations show that patients are being treated in overcrowded conditions, lying on beds placed on the floors, corridors, and staircases of the hospital’s wards. In both the pediatric and medicine wards, there is barely any room to move due to the overwhelming number of patients. The same situation is observed in the ICU and cardiology departments. Although the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has 70 beds, six to seven patients are being admitted per bed.

On top of that, the medical college does not have enough doctors or faculty members to manage the educational activities for its medical students. According to the relevant authorities, more than a hundred positions for professors, associate professors, and assistant professors remain vacant.

Doctors are saying that they are doing their best to provide services with the insufficient staff available. Moreover, since there are no good-quality hospitals in the surrounding districts, patients from those areas continue to flock to this hospital, adding to the pressure.

Directorate General of Health Services’ data show that the total number of beds in primary healthcare centers in the entire Mymensingh Division is 1,651. This is the lowest among the country’s eight divisions. The division also has the fewest beds in secondary healthcare institutions and hospitals, with only 770 beds. Furthermore, in terms of tertiary hospitals, the division ranks second lowest, with a total of 2,000 beds.

In addition to the shortage of staff, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital is also facing a lack of diagnostic equipment for various diseases. Although the hospital has arrangements for almost all necessary tests in its Pathology, Radiology, and Imaging departments, these facilities are in fact not adequate for such a high number of patients. One of the two CT scan machines is also out of order. Authorities have indicated that additional laboratories are required for testing. They also believe that, in addition to increasing the staff for testing, more infrastructure needs to be developed.

When asked about the overall situation, the Deputy Director of the hospital, Dr. Md Zakiul Islam, stated, “The hospital authorities have been working tirelessly for a long time to expand its infrastructure. If a new building is constructed, it will allow for better treatment of patients with complex conditions like cancer, kidney issues, and heart problems. Additionally, a project for a new Burn and Plastic Surgery building is now in its final stages.”