Non-functional health complex

We are perplexed as to why there is a 31-bed hospital in an isolated area in Kishoreganj that is practically inaccessible to people. It has medical equipment, but lacks technicians to operate them. So, the 160,000 residents of Itna upazilla must travel to district headquarters to get treatment for anything serious and the health complex at the upazilla is for all practical purposes, redundant. 

It is unfortunate that pregnant mothers have to face lengthy travel to district headquarters for safe delivery of children. More serious patients with injuries or having cardiovascular complications may not survive that journey but have no choice because the health complex is unable to give the service required. 

Given the geographical characteristics of Itna, an area that remains inundated for six months of the year, a journey by boat to the nearest operational health facility can take up to three and a half hours while a bus ride requires an hour. The problem is when a medical crisis occurs relying on public transport is hardly practical. The situation becomes that much more complex when a patient needs treatment urgently and timely medical assistance is of the essence. 

We wonder why such an inaccessible, remote area was selected in the first place to set up a health complex and why has the ministry not made efforts to hire technical personnel to operate complex medical equipment which have been bought with public money.

Given that a large amount of money has been spent there, we hope that the government would ensure that not only is the health complex fully operational but also reaching it is made hassle free.