Ambulance received from India remains unused

An Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ambulance, a gift to Bangladesh from India, has been lying idle at the civil surgeon’s office in Chuadanga for the past six months, reports news agency UNB.

The Indian government gifted the ambulance to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital on 26 November, 2021, on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s Independence as well as the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

However, the ambulance hasn’t been used yet due to a shortage of trained medical personnel and necessary equipment.

Currently, none of the public or private hospitals in Chuadanga have ICU facilities. The same goes for ICU ambulances. The first ICU unit in the district was opened by Sajeda Foundation on 7 August, 2021, in a new building inside Chuadanga Sadar Hospital on a temporary basis.

Unfortunately, the foundation stopped the operation of the ICU unit once the Covid-19 situation became normal in the district.

“Sometimes, cardiac patients die on their way to the hospital without getting life support facilities that can only be provided by ICU ambulances," said Ataur Rahman, coordinator of Chuadanga Sadar Hospital.

"We’ve spoken to higher authorities already to restart the ICU facility at our hospital. Hopefully, the unused ICU ambulance will start operating once ICU facilities are available at our hospital,” he added.

Chuadanga civil surgeon Sajjat Hasan said that the ambulance can’t be operated without trained personnel and necessary equipment. "I’ll take necessary steps to operate the ambulance at the earliest,” he added.