Zakir Azad, Cumilla

Medical services in Cumilla have been hit by frequent load shedding. Due to power outages in 17 upazila health complexes and government and private hospitals in the district, patient examinations, emergency treatment and even surgeries for complex patients are being disrupted. As there is no alternative to electricity in the medical service sector, ordinary patients coming from remote areas for treatment are suffering the most.

As a result, many are forced to rush to private hospitals. Stating that the busiest time for hospitals is between 10 am and 1 pm, the pressure of patients is high, officials of various upazila health complexes say that if uninterrupted power supply was provided during this peak hour, it would have been possible to ensure the necessary examinations and medical services to patients. But despite considerable efforts due to frequent load shedding, it is not possible to provide the desired services to patients. There are even days when not a single examination can be done throughout the day due to load shedding. Health department officials have said that uninterrupted power supply is necessary to get rid of this terrible situation.
Daudkandi Upazila Health Officer Dr. Habibur Rahman said that the power outage has now taken an extreme form. Due to load shedding day and night, normal medical services at the hospital are being disrupted. Especially, various tests of patients and operations on complex patients are not possible.

He said that the level of load shedding was so high on Tuesday (August 11) that no patient admitted to the hospital could be tested. This has caused extreme suffering to both doctors and patients.

Dr. Habibur Rahman also said that despite talking to the concerned Cumilla Rural Electricity Authority-3 authorities several times about the matter, no effective remedy has been found so far. Although the situation was relatively better a couple of months ago, uninterrupted power supply was available to the hospital from 10 am to 1 pm but t for the past few weeks, that supply has also become irregular.

Mariam Begum of Pennai village in the upazila, who came to the Daudkandi Health Complex for treatment, said, "There is no electricity for more than two to two and a half hours a day in the hospital, people are getting sicker and sicker after coming here to get treatment. There is no generator system even in the midst of so many power outages; people cannot live like this. Either provide uninterrupted power or provide generators.

Not only Daudkandi, but various upazila health complexes, government and private hospitals and clinics in the district have also been affected by the same power outage. Especially where alternative power systems are limited, doctors are facing additional difficulties in conducting emergency medical activities.
On Wednesday afternoon, when I went to the Brahmanpara Upazila Health Complex in Cumilla, I saw patients and their relatives waiting for cereals outside the hospital. But due to the lack of electricity, they have to wait in the heat.

Rahim Mia of Mahalakshipara village is undergoing treatment at this health complex. But due to the lack of electricity, he and other patients are sweating and alone. Rahim Miahs wife Farida Akhter said, "I am not able to give him a nebulizer due to the lack of electricity. I am completely restless in the heat. He (Abdur Rashid) cannot tolerate the heat at all. I am forced to use a hand fan to cool him down."
Although there is no problem with electricity in this upazila, said Dr. Monirul Islam, RMO of Brahmanpara Health Complex.
He said that the power supply has been relatively normal for the past few days.

There was only a power outage for about an hour around noon. However, due to the alternative system in our health complex, there was no disruption in OT (Operation Theater) activities and medical services."
Jalal Uddin, DGM of Brahmanpara Rural Electricity, said, "However, load shedding is much less in Brahmanpara, Cumilla compared to the power shortage in the whole country. I hope it will be resolved soon.

The same picture of suffering due to power outages has been seen in almost all government health complexes, including the main health service centers of the district, Cumilla Medical College Hospital, Cumilla Sadar Hospital.

Badrul Huda Jenu, Director of Health and Doctors, a private health care institution in Cumilla, said, "There may be technical errors or crises in state management. However, as a customer and citizen, people have the right to know about the crisis. If information about the crisis is given in advance, ordinary people and institutions can take alternative measures.

Not only homes but also manufacturing industries, hospitals and upazila health complexes are severely disrupted due to sudden power shortages. Especially People coming from far and wide to seek treatment in Cumilla face various problems including tests and examinations due to the lack of electricity. Therefore, it is important to inform customers in advance about any crisis and give them the opportunity to prepare.
When this reporter was talking to the District Civil Surgeon on Wednesday afternoon about the suffering in the district's hospitals due to excessive load shedding, there was still no electricity in his office. The Sadar Hospital was without electricity.
Acknowledging the suffering of patients in tests and examinations in the district's hospitals due to load shedding, Civil Surgeon Dr. Ali Noor Mohammad Bashir said, "There is often disruption in testing patients due to load shedding. Especially those admitted to the ICU have to suffer more.
In addition, due to the increase in the measles outbreak, the pressure of patients in health complexes has increased during this time. In addition, it is not possible to carry out all the testing activities of patients with generators.

This load shedding must be eliminated as soon as possible. If the power situation is not normal, the suffering of patients in hospitals will increase further.

Bangladesh Electricity Sheikh Firoz Kabir, Chief Engineer of the Cumilla Distribution Zone of the Development Board, said that the demand for electricity in the 6 districts of the Cumilla distribution zone, together with the Power and Power Development Board, is at least 1300 MW. Out of this, we are currently receiving 1100 MW of electricity. Out of this, the demand is 160 to 70 MW in Cumilla district alone.

Out of which we are going through a deficit of 30 to 35 MW every day. Engineer Sheikh Firoz Kabir said that this load shedding is due to less production and supply as per the demand. Besides, there is an increased demand for electricity during the hot season which is why load shedding is increasing.