RAJSHAHI, June 21 (V7N) – As Bangladesh grapples with a fresh surge in coronavirus cases, the Rajshahi Division is confronting a severe bottleneck in its COVID-19 testing capabilities, with only one public RT-PCR laboratory currently operational. This critical shortage is hindering efforts to detect and control the spread of the virus in the region.

Authorities had initially established six government RT-PCR labs across the Rajshahi Division to manage COVID-19 testing. However, as the pandemic's intensity waned, most of these labs ceased operations. Now, with a renewed increase in infections, the health department is facing significant challenges in reactivating them. Of the six original labs, two machines are reportedly non-functional, while the remaining are struggling due to severe kit shortages. Consequently, only the RT-PCR lab at the Virology Department of Rajshahi Medical College remains active, serving as the sole reliable testing facility for the entire division.

Private testing facilities are also largely unavailable, with labs at TMSS Hospital in Bogura and Khaja Yunus Ali Hospital in Sirajganj, which were operational during the peak of the pandemic, currently remaining closed.

Compounding the testing crisis is a significant underutilization of critical care infrastructure. Under the World Bank's 'COVID-19 Emergency Response and Pandemic Preparedness' (ERPP) project, Rajshahi Division was allocated 94 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds. These beds were distributed among several hospitals: 40 at Rajshahi Medical College (RAMEC) Hospital, 10 at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College (SZMC) Hospital in Bogura, 10 at Shaheed M. Monsur Ali Medical College Hospital in Sirajganj, 10 at Chapainawabganj District Hospital, 10 at Joypurhat District Modern Hospital, 8 at Government Mohammad Ali Hospital in Bogura, and 6 at Sirajganj General Hospital.

However, a severe shortage of skilled manpower to operate these units means that 44 of these allocated ICU beds across the division remain idle, particularly in district hospitals outside Rajshahi and Bogura. This forces critically ill patients from these areas to seek care at RAMEC and SZMC hospitals, overwhelming their facilities and leading to service delays for those in dire need.

Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman, the Rajshahi Divisional Health Director, acknowledged the challenges. "Many labs were closed for a long time due to the decrease in coronavirus cases. Now that corona is rising again, we are taking initiatives to reactivate them," he stated. "Some of them have been damaged due to being shut down for so long. We are working to make them operational. Additionally, we have requested an adequate supply of kits, and once they arrive, we will resume operations at those labs."

Dr. Rahman also confirmed the underutilization of critical care resources, stating, "44 ICU beds are lying idle in Rajshahi Division." The situation underscores the urgent need for robust public health preparedness, including sustainable staffing and supply chain management, to effectively respond to recurrent health crises.

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