Rajshahi, August 2 (V7N) – A newly constructed 200-bed pediatric hospital in Rajshahi’s TB Pukur area has remained unused for over two years due to the absence of staff deployment from the Ministry of Health. As a result, expensive medical equipment and infrastructure are deteriorating, while the facility faces growing threats of vandalism and occupation.
 
Despite being completed in mid-2023 at a cost of nearly Tk 35 crore, a 200-bed pediatric hospital in Rajshahi city’s TB Pukur area remains unopened, raising serious concerns over mismanagement, resource wastage, and public health setbacks.
 
Field visits revealed that the hospital’s infrastructure is already showing signs of decay. Air conditioners installed throughout the building are reportedly non-functional due to long periods of inactivity. Inside the hospital, costly medical-grade refrigerators—intended for storing essential medicines and supplies—remain unused and are at risk of permanent damage.
 
Despite an additional allocation of Tk 8 crore for furniture and fittings, no administrative handover has taken place because the Ministry of Health has yet to appoint medical or support staff for the facility.
 
Contractors, who completed construction under the supervision of the Rajshahi Public Works Department (PWD), have assigned lone guards to protect the premises. However, they report increasing incidents of theft and attempted illegal occupation. “After August 5, a group of local thugs tried several times to take over the building,” said Nazrul Islam, a security guard employed by the contractor. “They attacked me when I resisted. At night, people sneak in and steal equipment. I’m only one person—how can I guard such a large complex alone?”
 
Engineer Farhad Sarkar, involved in the project, added that thieves have already started removing aluminum window frames and other fittings. “If the hospital is not activated soon, we fear even greater damage,” he said.
 
According to PWD sources, the project began in 2016 to reduce pressure on the overcrowded pediatric ward of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) and to introduce specialized pediatric care. Although construction was delayed multiple times, it was finally completed in June 2023. The hospital was then handed over to the PWD Division-2 but has not yet been transferred to the health authorities.
 
Executive Engineer of PWD Division-2, Abu Hayat Muhammad Shakiul Azam, confirmed that repeated letters have been sent to the Civil Surgeon’s Office, urging them to take charge of the facility. “Without the recruitment of staff, the health department has not been able to take possession. Meanwhile, the building and its equipment are deteriorating. It’s inevitable when such a facility is left unused for so long,” he stated.
 
The facility, if activated, would significantly reduce the pediatric patient load at RMCH and provide better child healthcare services in the region. Local residents and health professionals are calling for immediate intervention from the Ministry of Health to prevent further loss of public assets and to address the urgent healthcare needs of the community.
 
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