Munshiganj (South) Correspondent 

 The coronavirus infection is on the rise again in the country. However, despite three long years, the ICU services at Munshiganj General Hospital, designated for patient treatment, have not yet commenced. Even though there are 10 ICU beds, the hospital's ventilators have not yet seen the light of day, depriving the district's residents of vital ICU care. This is particularly concerning as Munshiganj General Hospital was prioritized for treating COVID patients in the district. Furthermore, there's a shortage of government-supplied coronavirus testing kits, with the district's sole general hospital currently having none.

When the first wave of coronavirus began, every district hospital in the country undertook special COVID preparations, and Munshiganj General Hospital was no exception. At that time, the government and the Directorate General of Health Services took several steps, including providing adequate equipment, ventilators, oxygen support, and establishing isolation units. However, three years later, most of these preparations remain only on paper. The majority of them are lying unused, including valuable ventilators and ICU equipment.

According to hospital sources, a 10-bed ICU unit was inaugurated on the 7th floor of the hospital's new building on November 14, 2023, during the pandemic. Although the unit was equipped with ventilators, beds, and all necessary machinery, it cannot be made operational solely due to a lack of manpower. A visit to the hospital's ICU and CCU units revealed that dust and sand from outside are accumulating, risking damage to the ventilators, beds, and other equipment within the unit.

Regarding this, the hospital's Assistant Director, Dr. Md. Arifuzzaman, stated, "This hospital has recently been upgraded from 100 to 250 beds. The ICU and CCU are very sensitive units. It's not just about starting these units; once started, they also need to be maintained. Our biggest challenge in starting and maintaining them is manpower. We have not received the required manpower for a 250-bed hospital. Due to insufficient manpower, we are unable to start the ICU and CCU."

Hospital Superintendent Dr. Ahamad Kabir added, "The equipment is fine, but operating ventilators requires trained technicians and doctors. The unit couldn't be started due to a lack of manpower. Despite repeated requests, we haven't received the desired response. As part of our COVID preparedness, we have a 10-bed ICU unit with many valuable instruments. We cannot operate it due to a lack of manpower. We have informed the higher authorities multiple times for the sake of the public. If we get experienced manpower, it can be started."

Local resident Jahangir Hossain expressed his frustration, saying, "The government provided millions of taka worth of equipment, but what's the use of that preparation if it's not utilized? We rush to Dhaka for treatment, while equipment lies dusty and unused in our district hospital."

Civil Surgeon Dr. Manjurul Alam stated, "The Superintendent can speak about the hospital's COVID preparedness. If he presents it, I can comment. There is a gap between planning and implementation." According to health analysts, Munshiganj General Hospital's COVID preparedness was strategically important. However, the lack of implementation has turned the entire initiative into a waste of public trust and state resources. The experience of COVID preparedness at Munshiganj General Hospital has once again proven that planning alone is not enough; no initiative can succeed without proper coordination, training, manpower, and effective monitoring. Effective measures are urgently needed to make the hospital suitable for providing emergency health services even now.