Fatikchhari (Chittagong) Correspondent

The doctor arrives late to treat patients at the Outdoor Department at Fatikchhari Upazila Health Complex in Chittagong.

He also leaves before everyone else. This causes extreme distress to the patients who come for services. They are forced to return without seeking treatment. Upazila Health Officer Dr. Arefin Azim has denied the matter.

On Saturday morning, it was seen on the spot that there was a huge crowd at the health complex. There was a lot of commotion all around. Everyone was waiting for the doctor. But the doctor was not seen.

Finally, they arrived around 10 am. By then, the number of patients had exceeded one to one and a half hundred.

Talking to patients and health center officials, it was learned that the doctors arrive every day around 10 am. They leave before 1:30 pm. If there are many patients at the health center, they ask many to come the next day. As a result, people who come to the Fatikchhari Upazila Health Center are not getting adequate medical services.

Alam Mia (44), from Barmasia village in Suabil union of the upazila, said, "Every day, doctors come to the health center late and leave early." This cannot happen in this country under any circumstances.

Like Alam Mia, other patients, including Asma Akhtar (33), Sharmin Jahan (22), Ayub Ali (43), Mohinur Rahman (48), Momtaz Shirin (27), also said the same thing. They said, "Patients suffer every day because of the doctors. Many come from remote areas of the upazila. It takes noon to return after seeing a doctor."

Health center sources said that according to government rules, medical activities in the hospital's outpatient department start from eight in the morning. Patients come to the hospital between eight and nine in the morning. But at this time, although the doors of all the doctors' rooms are open except for the emergency department, the doctors are not there. Then the entire medical activities are closed. You have to pay extra for treatment in the emergency department.

As a result, many patients are waiting for treatment in the outpatient department with tickets.

Meanwhile, tickets are not given before 9 am in the outpatient department. An average of 300 to 400 patients come to the outpatient department of the health center every day for treatment. There are often patients in the internal department who are admitted to the hospital. 9 doctors are working for their treatment. More or less all of them come to the health center from Chittagong city. Due to this, no doctor from the city can come to the health center before 10:30 or 11:00 am. They leave again between 1 and 1:30 pm.

On the spot, it was seen that at 9 am, more than a hundred patients were roaming around the balcony of the health center with tickets. Many were groaning in pain. Meanwhile, at 9:30 am, Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr. Arefin Azim came to his office and had tea and breakfast with a few doctors. At around 10 am, pediatrician Dr. Joynal Abedin Muhuri started treatment in room no. 40. Doctor Nazmul Hasan is giving prescriptions to patients in room 47. Some doctors come to their respective offices at around 10:45. Resident Medical Officer Khan Abdullah Al Mamun comes at around 11:00. Apart from this, some are said to be on leave. Two doctors did not come even at 11:00.

No one wanted to talk about the late arrival. Again, several doctors, without disclosing their names, said, 'There is a rule on paper and pen to treat patients from 8 am to 2:30 pm. But to come at 8 am, doctors have to wake up early, otherwise it is not possible for anyone to come from the city on time.'

Upazila Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr. Arefin Azim said, 'Doctors do not want to stay at the upazila health center. As a result, they come a little late. But no doctor returns without seeing the patient.' He admitted, 'There is a government rule to treat patients at the health center from 8 am to 2:30 pm.'

Chittagong District Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr. Mohammad Wazed Chowdhury said, "Coming late and leaving before the specified time is a complete irregularity.

The government is not paying them half their salary. Moreover, it is not desirable for patients to suffer due to these reasons. Action will be taken after investigating the matter."