Narail Correspondent:

Narail Sadar Hospital lift work has not been completed even after 8 years. Activities of 250 bed hospital in Narail. As the construction work has not been completed even after 8 long years, the hope of better service of the hospital to the patients and their relatives is getting disappointed day by day. At present, the district's 100-bed hospital is serving nearly four times its capacity on an average daily basis.

But next to it stands the new shiny 9-story building. The health department is not aware of the transfer of the building and the opening of the 250-bed hospital even though the work period is over. But the promise of quick handover is public works. Ujjal Roy, Narail district representative said that information from the district public works department says that in 2017, DPP (Development Project Proposal) was approved for the construction of the main building, service building and dormitory building for doctors of 250-bed hospital in Narail. In June 2018, 8 contractors started the construction of the project with an 8-storey building of a 250-bed hospital.

The proposed price of which is 61 crore 58 lakh taka. And the proposed price for the construction of ICU with 10 beds on the 9th floor financed by the World Bank is estimated at 5 crore 77 lakh taka. Although the handover was supposed to be completed at the end of the work period in June last year after the three-phase extension, the handover process is hanging on the elevator button due to design complications.

On the surface, it can be seen in the hospital, from the stairs to the balcony (corridor), there is no space to step anywhere. The scene of such a crowd of patients and relatives is the daily picture of the only 100-bed hospital in Narail district city. The hospital is struggling to cope with three to four times the daily capacity of patients.

The relatives of the patients who came to the hospital for service said that at least 250 patients' relatives are staying with the patients on the floors, corridors and stairs of the hospital with mats and sheets. On the one hand, because of the outbreak of winter and on the other hand, they are inhumanely staying in the hospital hoping for a little better treatment.

However, the patients' relatives are forced to leave Sadar Hospital within one to two days and transfer patients to Jessore 250-bed hospital, Khulna Medical in Dhaka for better treatment. Therefore, the patients and their relatives want the implementation of a 250-bed hospital without being limited by assurances.

Supervisor of Narail Sadar Hospital. Abdul Gaffar said, Narail Sadar Hospital is serving patients almost four times the capacity in the midst of various crises with limited manpower. 250 bed hospital building has been completed. It is a multipurpose hospital. The patient accommodation is on the fourth floor. That is why it is not possible to start the service of the hospital without completing the work of the elevator.

He said, public works will be able to tell when the elevator problem will be solved and handed over. However, when asked how long it would be possible to start service activities after the handover, the official of the health department said, "When the building is ready, there are still many ancillary issues, including the recruitment of manpower." In the sincerity of the ministry, it can be launched in one to one and a half years after the handover.

Executive Engineer of Narail Public Works Department. Sarwar Hossain said that it has not been possible to hand over the 250-bed hospital to the health department at the scheduled time as the lift work has not been completed. Four lifts (passenger cum bed lift) of 1250 kg have been sent to the Planning Commission for DPP approval through the Ministry of Health. It is expected that we will be able to hand over the lift after completing the work subject to approval within the next three to four months.