Director General (DG) of Health Directorate wants to move four important units taken for Chattogram Medical College Hospital to Cumilla citing lack of space. Some Chattogram-based organizations have already expressed concern about such a decision.
Those concerned say that even though there is a shortage of space in Chattogram, only Chattogram may Medical has at least 800 crores worth of property lying vacant. There is a huge abandoned medical site in Goachi Bagan area adjacent to the Shahs Hospital.
According to the government decision, four new units have been set up in Chattogram Medical College Hospital under the project titled 'Establishment of Neuroscience, Orthopaedic, Mental and Skin Units' in the eight departmental medical college hospitals of the country. These four units are Neuroscience, Orthopaedic, Psychiatric and Skin. Meanwhile, the feasibility study of this project has been completed. However, no development project proposal or DPP has been formulated yet.
Earlier on August 4, Health Director General (DG) of the Directorate of Health Dr Abul Basar Mohammad Khurshid Alam proposed that the four new units can be implemented in Cumilla Medical College Hospital instead of Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Referring to the feasibility study of the project, it was informed that there is a shortage of space for expanding the hospital in the Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital campus in Sylhet and Dhaka along with Chattogram.
Dr. Abul Basar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, a resident of Cumilla, said that if a new building is constructed in Chattogram Medical, the air circulation in the hospital will be blocked. Moreover, Chattogram has a separate hospital for skin treatment. Since there is a funding proposal from JICA for the expansion of the Skin hospital, the Skin unit will not be located in Chattogram Medical.
Following the discussion in that meeting of the Ministry of Health, it was decided to check whether neuroscience, orthopaedic, mental and skin units can be set up in Cumilla Medical College Hospital instead of Chattogram Medical College Hospital.
However, after visiting Chittagong, Health Minister Zahid Malek said that the DG of Health never said that.
If land is not available in Chattogram, the implementation of the project in Cumilla can be examined
Health Minister Zahid Malek said in an exchange meeting held at the Chittagong Medical College Auditorium on Monday afternoon regarding the transfer of the Chittagong Medical College Hospital project to Comilla, "This is not true. The director general of the health department never said that. DPP of this project is in progress. What needs to happen in Chattogram, will happen in Chattogram.
What needs to happen in Cumilla, will happen in Cumilla. However, when I go to do something in Chattogram, there are many problems with land acquisition.
It is known that before this there were many complications in getting a full cancer hospital in Chattogram Medical. Out of that anger, the director general of the health department has proposed to transfer the Chattogram l project to Cumilla. The Health Minister's words in his speech during his visit to Chattogram also had such an indication.
Meanwhile, the Director General (DG) of the Department of Health, Professor Dr Abul Basar Mohammad Khurshid
spoke about the shortage of space in Chattogram. Abul Basar Mohammad Khurshid Alam expressed concern about the transfer of the project to Cumilla, his own village and demanded the implementation of the project in Chattogram, the national organization Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), Chattogram Division and Metropolitan Committee, to immediately cancel the proposal and implement the project in Chattogram.
In a statement on Monday, Vice President of CAB Central Committee SM Najer Hossain, General Secretary Kazi Iqbal Bahar Chhaberi, Metropolitan President Jasmine Sultana Paru and General Secretary Ajay Mitra Shanku, South District President Abdul Mannan stated this demand.
In the statement, the leaders expressed their anger and said that Chattogram Medical College Hospital is not only a higher medical institution for Chattogram district. As a referral hospital, it is the last refuge for the common people of the region, especially Cox's Bazar, three hill districts, Noakhali and Feni districts. So the development of Chattogram Medical College does not mean the development of Chattogram. Chattogram haters are under the wrath of some people, many development activities of the government are not being implemented in Chattogram. Therefore, talking about shortage of space in Chittagong Medical College Hospital, we should withdraw from the futile attempt to transfer this project to other places and to our own village house.
Chattogram Medical College Hospital is the only reliable place in the medical system in this area, so about 3000 patients are admitted every day. Despite the inadequate number of beds in the hospital, patients are forced to seek treatment from balconies and floors. People from different classes and professions of Chattogram have repeatedly drawn the attention of the Prime Minister and Health Minister to improve the dilapidated medical system of Chattogram, but no progress has been made as expected. Therefore, if the project around Chittagong Medical College is implemented, 5 crore people of Greater Chattogram will benefit. At the same time many students including Chattogram Medical College, Medical University, Private Medical Colleges will also benefit from the project.
