Lawmakers from across the aisle on Sunday expressed resentment at the Health Ministry as people are not getting health services due to the deplorable state of upazila and district health complexes in their respective areas.

Speaking during the question-answer session, they alleged there are serious shortage of doctors, nurses and other health staff in different health complexes and hospitals in their constituencies causing serious hampering of providing health services to people.

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The treasury and opposition MPs also raised their voices saying many doctors and nurses who are posted in upazila health complexes, do not stay there.

AL MP Dhirendra Debnath and Zilluk Hakim separately said that people in their constituency are not getting health services due to lack of doctors, consultants and health staff.

Another senior MP of AL, Shajahan Khan said a 50-bed hospital in his constituency was increased to 250 beds. But people are not getting benefits of this as no additional doctors and nurses were recruited for the hospital.

“Earlier in parliament, I raised the same issue before the health minister and he gave me assurance to appoint additional doctors and other staff for the hospital. But no measures were taken so far,” he said.

Another AL MP SM Shahzada in his speech said he is in big trouble due to the sorry state of the health complex in his constituency.

He also said the lone health complex in Golachipa upazila under his constituency—Patuakhali-3 remained in a very sorry state.

“This health complex was established a long time ago. It is in a dilapidated condition,” he said.

He mentioned that there are several buildings inside this health complex which have been declared abandoned due to their dilapidated condition.

He said that this upazila has a population of 5 lakhs. There are about two and a half lakh more people in the adjoining upazila (Rangabali).

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“Health services of two upazilas are managed from this health center,” he also said.

The AL MP also said that he wrote to the minister two and a half years ago for a new health complex. 

Jatiya Party MP and Opposition Chief Whip Moshiur Rahman Ranga said there are costly medical equipment for treatment of kidney dialysis and cancer remaining unused in a hospital in his area for years.

He said those expensive medical equipment cannot be used due to not having technical staff.

BNP MP Rumeen Farhana said due to inefficiency of the government, the health ministry couldn’t spend a major portion of the money allocated in the development budget.

AL MP Shahiduzzaman Sarker, Moazzem Hossain Ratan, Shahiduzzaman, Bikolpodhara Bangladesh MP Abdul Mannan, Gono Forum MP Mokabbir Khan, Jatiya Party MP Kazi Firoz Rashid also strongly criticized the health minister.   

In reply to MPs' outcry, Health Minister Zahid Maleque admitted that there is a shortage of doctors and other staff in different hospitals and health complexes in the country.

He, however, said, the government has reappointed many doctors and nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic and more doctors and other health staff will be appointed soon.