Cox’s Bazar is the country’s top tourist destination. Modern and luxurious infrastructures are being constructed in the coastal district, aimed at attracting more visitors. Even industrial development is growing. This rapid transformation has also increased the residential population. Temporary residents are also significant in number. On top of that, around 1.3 to 1.4 million Rohingya refugees have been living in the district for the past several years. While the tourism sector continues to shine, the district’s healthcare system remains stuck in the past—outdated, overwhelmed, and ill-equipped. As a result, both locals and visiting tourists face serious health risks.
According to government data, Cox’s Bazar has a total population of 2.79 million. But when the daily average of 100,000 tourists, several hundred thousand temporary residents, 1.3 to 1.4 million Rohingyas, and local and foreign staff from various organizations are included in the count, the number of people residing in Cox’s Bazar crosses 4.5 million. Yet, for this massive population, there are only 586 hospital beds available under government facilities. Of these, 250 are in the Cox’s Bazar District General Hospital, which serves as the primary healthcare center for residents of the town. The hospital has 328 staff positions, but 76 of them are vacant. Only three doctors are providing treatment in the emergency unit, which on average, sees over 500 patients daily.
This lack of local healthcare options forces patients to endure long, difficult trips just to receive treatment in the nearest divisional city. Even for minor health issues or basic medical services, locals often have to travel to Chattogram, about 160 kilometers away. The journey takes four to four-and-a-half hours as the highway connecting the two cities has only two lanes.
When asked about the situation, Dr. Shuboktogeen Mahmud Sohel, the resident medical officer of General Hospital Cox’s Bazar, told Bonik Barta, “Even though Cox’s Bazar is located in the far south of the country, it holds great importance for several reasons. Our hospital is the main source of healthcare for residents here. It’s also where general and VIP tourists, as well as foreign staff of international organizations, seek medical help. Despite limited resources, we’re doing our best to provide services to all types of patients.”
According to the Health Services Division, although Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital is designated as a 250-bed facility, it serves between 1,500 and 2,000 patients each day. On average, about 1,000 patients are admitted at any given time. The hospital lacks facilities for treating critical and complex medical conditions. Back in 2020, during the COVID-19 outbreak, a foreign-funded project had set up a 20-bed ICU and a 20-bed CCU. But funding ran out in September 2024, bringing these services to a halt. Following public demand, a scaled-down version of the CCU was resumed with limited staff. Currently, under the World Bank-funded ISO Project, seven ICU beds and 10 CCU beds are operational. Earlier this month, the CCU briefly shut down. Later, two doctors were assigned to the unit, and two more agreed to work without pay. With four doctors, the unit has been brought back into service. Dr. Mong Ting Ngo, the hospital’s superintendent, confirmed these details.
Cox’s Bazar Medical College was established back in 2008. However, even after 17 years, the promised 500-bed hospital associated with the institution has yet to be built. Locals claim that progress on converting the medical college into a fully operational hospital has been unnecessarily delayed for unknown reasons.
Speaking to Bonik Barta, Dr. Aung Swi Prue Marma, Director of Health for the Chattogram Division, said the government is aware of the fragile healthcare situation in Cox’s Bazar. “Recently, students of Cox’s Bazar Medical College raised the demand for a hospital during a meeting with Dr. Md Sayedur Rahman, the Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Construction is expected to begin within a few months,” he said.
Dr. Aung Swi Prue Marma also noted that the government plans to upgrade healthcare facilities across various upazilas in the district. This includes increasing the number of hospital beds and appointing more doctors to help transform the district’s healthcare sector in a short time.
The current government has undertaken various infrastructure development plans focused on South Chattogram. However, despite these large-scale initiatives, locals believe that the fragile healthcare system in Cox’s Bazar is hindering access to medical services for those involved in investment and development activities in the region.
According to data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), government hospitals in the 11 districts of the Chattogram Division collectively offer 12,806 beds. Among these districts, Cox’s Bazar ranks seventh in terms of hospital bed availability per capita. But for a district hosting over 4.5 million people—including tourists, foreign nationals, and Rohingya refugees—the existing 586 government hospital beds fall drastically short. Locals pointed out that when tourists fall ill, the lack of adequate facilities leads to serious challenges. And in critical cases, the absence of specialized care can even increase the risk to patients’ lives.