Despite daily challenges in a resource-constrained environment, Barguna General Hospital (BGH) serves as a vital healthcare sanctuary for thousands of coastal residents. Yet, the district’s main healthcare facility is now grappling with a severe shortage of doctors, nurses, and infrastructure, leaving ordinary patients to bear the brunt of an overstretched system. The situation at BGH is alarming: only 17 doctors are currently serving against 81 sanctioned posts, and the hospital has been without a pediatric consultant for the last 20 days. The shortage extends to nurses, with only 65 out of 109 sanctioned posts filled. This dire shortage means that the hospital’s 250 beds are often overwhelmed, with children particularly suffering as they are treated on floors and in corridors due to lack of space and staff.
The strain on the hospital is evident. Patients often wait for hours without receiving proper treatment, and the limited number of doctors struggle to provide care to hundreds of people daily. Mahibul, a relative of a patient, noted, "There are too many patients, but very few doctors. We often have to wait for hours without receiving proper treatment. When doctors are unavailable, the suffering of the patients increases even further."
For Sabina Yasmin, the shortage has become a deeply personal ordeal. Her one-year-old son has been suffering from fever and cold for several days. "I have taken my son to the hospital several times, but I did not get the service. How can we get proper treatment when there are no doctors? People in this coastal area live with health risks throughout the year," she lamented.
Monir Hossain Kamal, President of the Barguna District Health Rights Forum, emphasized the critical role of the hospital for the coastal region. "This hospital is the main hope for healthcare for people in the coastal area. But despite the shortage of doctors and nurses continuing for a long time, we have not seen any effective initiative to address the problem. Unless the adequate manpower is appointed quickly, the healthcare system will deteriorate even further," he warned.
Taskia Siddiqua, a physician at the hospital, acknowledged the shortages and said the matter had been brought to the attention of higher authorities. "We are trying our best to provide the highest level of service with limited manpower," she said. Barguna-1 constituency lawmaker Md. Oliullah has also taken action, sending a demi-official letter to the Director General of Health Services requesting more doctors for the hospital. Barguna Civil Surgeon Abul Fattah has similarly urged higher authorities for additional doctors, including a pediatric specialist and a superintendent.
