Power Cuts Leave Kaliakair Health Complex in Darkness, Treatment Continues Under Mobile Flashlights

The 50-bed to 101-bed Kaliakair Upazila Health Complex is the last resort for medical care for around 500,000 to 600,000 workers and residents of Kaliakair, an industrial hub in Gazipur. However, the government hospital is plunged into darkness at night due to power cuts. Doctors and staff are forced to use mobile phone flashlights to treat patients, administer injections and provide saline. Patients and their attendants are facing severe difficulties.

A visit to the hospital on Friday night found a distressing situation. There was no light inside the wards, and the fans were not working. Children, elderly patients and seriously ill people were struggling in the heat. The government hospital is a major source of medical care for local residents. Workers often come to the hospital at night after working in factories during the day, seeking treatment for fever, diarrhoea, breathing problems and dengue. However, the lack of electricity at night is making their suffering worse.

Speaking about the situation, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Sadia Tasnim Munmun said, “We know about the issue and are extremely concerned. When the power goes out at night, our old generator cannot handle the load. As a result, the emergency department, delivery room and children’s ward face serious problems. We understand the patients’ suffering, but without an alternative power supply, our hands are tied. The MP of Gazipur-1 has given us a powerful generator, which has not yet been put into operation, but it will be operational soon.”

She added, “Providing treatment under mobile phone light is in no way safe, and it is also difficult for us.” An investigation found that Gazipur-1 MP Md Mojibur Rahman has already provided a new generator for the hospital, considering the suffering of patients. However, for unknown reasons, the generator has not yet been connected or put into operation. As a result, the hospital remains without electricity at night despite the new generator, which is worth a substantial amount of money.

Gazipur-1 MP Md Mojibur Rahman said, “I have given a new generator for Kaliakair Hospital so that patients do not suffer at night. It is extremely unfortunate and disappointing that it has not yet been put into operation. I have learned that there is no electricity at the hospital at night and patients are suffering. I am instructing the concerned authorities to make the generator I provided operational within the next 48 hours.”

He added, “It is normal for this hospital serving 600,000 people to have uninterrupted electricity. If necessary, I will arrange IPS and solar backup with a larger budget.” Local residents have demanded that the generator provided by the MP be put into operation quickly to restore electricity to the hospital and reduce patients’ suffering.