Dhaka, Apr 21 (V7N) — The National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Dhaka is facing serious service disruptions despite having modern infrastructure and full technical readiness.

New building remains unused

The newly constructed 500-bed extension facility—equipped with ICU units, modular operation theatres, MRI and CT scan machines—has remained largely non-operational for months due to a shortage of manpower.

Hospital authorities say nearly 1,400 posts are still vacant, preventing full-scale service delivery.

Patients face repeated suffering

Patients and their families continue to suffer as they move between hospitals in search of treatment.

One heart patient, Lal Mia, said he has been visiting the hospital repeatedly for several days but is unable to get admitted due to a lack of beds. Others reported being referred to different hospitals even after completing tests.

Many patients were also seen waiting on stretchers, while relatives complained about long delays for admission, surgery, and diagnostic services such as MRI scans, which can take up to two months.

Facility ready, but staff shortage critical

The hospital administration says the second unit includes advanced medical facilities such as:

  • ICU and CCU beds

  • Cath lab units

  • MRI and CT scan machines

  • Modern operation theatres

However, these remain underutilized due to the staffing crisis.

Hospital Director Professor Kazi Deen Ahmed said the institution is one of the most advanced government hospitals in the country, but recruitment delays and procurement procedures have slowed operations.

Government response

Health Secretary Kamruzzaman Chowdhury said manpower is being recruited in phases and expressed hope that the hospital could become fully operational within the next 15 to 30 days.

Project background

The hospital expansion project began in 2020 with an estimated cost of Tk 506 crore, aiming to establish a modern neuroscience treatment center in Bangladesh. Despite completion of construction, full service delivery has yet to begin due to administrative delays.

END/SMA/AJ