Khalil Uddin Farid, Bhola

A Medical Assistant Training School (MATS), built at a cost of nearly Tk 300 million in Khayerhat, Daulatkhan Upazila of Bhola district, is yet to begin its academic activities despite the completion of its modern infrastructure. The institution features an academic building and separate residential facilities for male and female students. However, the necessary staff have not been recruited, even though the buildings were handed over to the health authorities in 2023. As a result, student admissions and classes have yet to commence. The prolonged inactivity has raised concerns over the use of substantial public funds invested in the project.

According to relevant sources, the institution has been constructed on approximately three acres of land within the premises of the 30-bed Khayerhat Hospital. The project was implemented by the Health Engineering Department under the Fourth Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Programme, an initiative of the Ministry of Health. Eight buildings have been constructed, including an academic building, separate hostels for male and female students, a principal’s residence, residential quarters for consultants and staff, a garage-cum-driver’s quarters, and a substation building. Sources said electrical connection work is currently underway.

Rana Das, Assistant Engineer of the Bhola Health Engineering Department, said the total project cost was estimated at Tk 300.935 million.

The facilities include a three-storey academic building with a five-storey foundation, a four-storey male hostel with a five-storey foundation, and a three-storey female hostel with a five-storey foundation. The project also includes a single-storey principal’s residence, a five-storey residential building for consultants, a three-storey staff quarters building with a five-storey foundation, a two-storey garage-cum-driver’s quarters, and a substation building.

Despite the completion of the infrastructure, the institution remains non-operational because the required staff have not been recruited and administrative activities have not begun.

According to sources, students from the science group who have passed the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination are expected to have the opportunity to enrol in a four-year course at the institution. After successfully completing the course, graduates will be able to seek employment in various public and private healthcare facilities, working alongside physicians as medical assistants.

Under the plan, at least 50 students are expected to graduate annually. However, the institution’s continued closure has prevented the realisation of this potential.

Muhammad Shawkat Hossain, editor of the local daily Ajker Bhola and author of the book History of Bhola District, said that although some government healthcare facilities had trained medical assistants, private clinics often lacked adequately trained supporting personnel.

He expressed hope that the launch of MATS would create training and employment opportunities for local young men and women while contributing to improved healthcare services across the district.

Dr. Md. Bakhtiar Al-Mamun, Superintendent of the 30-bed Khayerhat Hospital in Daulatkhan, said construction of the MATS facilities had been completed, but the institution had yet to begin operations.

“The matter has been brought to the attention of the higher authorities. They have assured us that a letter has been sent to the ministry,” he said.

Md. Mahinur Islam, Assistant Engineer of the Bhola Health Engineering Department, said that after the building was handed over to the Civil Surgeon, further activities, including student admissions, would fall under the responsibility of the health authorities.

Masdul Alam, Executive Engineer of the Barishal Health Engineering Department, said admission activities could not begin because the required staffing structure had not been established and administrative operations had not started.

According to relevant sources, the institution falls under the authority of the Ministry of Health Education and Family Welfare. However, the absence of a dedicated regional office in Barishal has reportedly created limitations in regular supervision.

Amid the prolonged inactivity, authorities have also considered whether the building could be used as a nursing training centre. Following a letter from the ministry on the proposal, a delegation visited the facility for inspection.

Dr. Monirul Islam, Civil Surgeon of Bhola, said the facility could be used to provide 15-day or other basic training programmes for newly recruited nurses if a nursing training centre were established there.

He said the government facility should not remain unused and could instead be utilised as an alternative training centre.

However, no final decision has yet been reported on whether the institution will begin its original MATS activities or be used for alternative training purposes.

Local residents have welcomed the establishment of MATS in Khayerhat and remain hopeful that it will eventually become operational. They expect the institution to enable permanent residents of Bhola to pursue medical assistant training close to home, reducing the need to travel elsewhere for education and creating new employment opportunities for young people.

Local residents Abdul Motaleb and Chhabur Mia said they had been delighted at the prospect of their children receiving medical assistant training nearby.

“After the buildings were constructed, we hoped that our children would be able to study here instead of travelling far away. But academic activities have yet to begin,” they said.

They added that the institution could play an important role in reducing youth unemployment in the area.

A nurse at Bhola Sadar Hospital also expressed the view that launching MATS would benefit students and positively contribute to improving healthcare services across the district.

Stakeholders say urgent steps are needed to recruit the required personnel, establish an administrative structure and begin student admissions. Otherwise, the infrastructure built with substantial public investment risks remaining unused for an extended period.