The burn and plastic surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) is facing a shortage of manpower even though there has been a spurt recently in the number of severely burnt patients from different parts of the country because of political violence. DMCH sources attributed the acute manpower crisis to the fact that even though 10 years have passed since it was established, the specialised burn unit is yet to be transferred from the development sector to the revenue sector in the national budget. This has occurred because corruption allegations have been levelled in connection with the unit.
Several doctors alleged that many people on the hospital staff have already left their jobs, while some others are trying to find other jobs due to the uncertainty looming large over the future of this unit. They said the burn unit is currently running under a temporary development project of the health ministry.
Considering the financial crisis of the unit, the number of seats at the burn unit cannot be increased to accommodate the rising number of patients.
At present, there are only seven regular physicians, one physiotherapist, one technician and one biochemist at the burn unit, who have to deal with around 30,000 patients every year. According to sources, there is not a single regular nurse at the unit. Some unskilled volunteers are working as nurses and they are sometimes held responsible for the rapid deterioration in the condition of patients.
This correspondent saw several hundred patients lying on the floor of the burn unit due to lack of space.
Talking to The Independent, Dr Samanta Lal Sen, leading burn and plastic surgery specialist of the country, said around 300 to 350 patients come to the burn unit everyday from different parts of the country. However, the unit cannot accommodate all of them, as it has only 100 beds.
He, however, said some DMCH?doctors are also attached to the burn unit on a temporary basis. Sen, who was the coordinator of the burn unit, said the salaries of burn unit personnel are also paid on an irregular basis as the unit is being run under a temporary development project of the national budget. “That’s why many people have left the burn unit,” he added. Sources said the unit has to apply to the Directorate of Health every three months for getting funds to pay the salaries to its staff members.
Partha Shankar Pal, residential surgeon of the unit, said there are only 10 beds in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the burn unit. At present, there are 42 postgraduate students at the unit who manage most of the work.
The sources said at least five doctors have planned to leave their jobs as their jobs are not included under the revenue project of the national budget. As they were recruited during the BNP-Jamaat government allegedly through unfair means, the AL-led government has not shown any interest in
regularising their jobs, the sources added, requesting anonymity.
The sources also said the unit cannot buy necessary medicines and modern equipment due to financial constraints. Some ward boys allegedly take bribes from patients while dressing their wounds, as they are not paid on a regular basis, they added.
-With The Independent input
