Healthcare at Risk in Dilapidated Facility

Medical services at the Raipur Upazila Health Complex in Lakshmipur district continue under hazardous conditions following repeated ceiling collapses. On Monday afternoon, plaster detached from the ceiling of Room 121 on the ground floor of the old facility while consultations were underway. On-duty Medical Officer Dr. Raisa and four patients narrowly escaped injury, prompting staff to urgently relocate patients from the affected area.
This incident follows an earlier collapse on October 1 in the doctors’ rest room, where a falling ceiling fan and plaster severely injured Dr. Fouzia Mostafa. Recurring structural failures have heightened safety concerns and created widespread anxiety among healthcare workers and patients.

Despite a renovation project completed last year at a cost of approximately BDT 50 lakh for the main and residential buildings, plaster has begun detaching within months. Patients and visitors expressed outrage over poor workmanship, demanding immediate and thorough structural repairs to prevent potential casualties.
Addressing the situation, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Naima Nusrat Jabin acknowledged the long-standing risks associated with the aging building. She stated that higher authorities have been repeatedly informed of the infrastructure hazards, warning that failure to take immediate action could result in a major disaster.