A cardiac ambulance has been lying in the garage of Rangpur Medical College (RpMC) Hospital for more than three years. Due to a lack of policies and manpower (physicians), patients are not getting ambulance services with ICU support. Because of this, comatose patients are at risk of death many times. However, the concerned said that the ambulance is being run occasionally to keep it running.
RpMC Hospital's new and old Cardiac Ward (CCU) has been found to have 48 beds. However, on the contrary, patient admissions are more than double. Again, admission of heart patients increases in sweltering and cold weather. If someone's condition is critical due to a sudden heart problem, they must be transported quickly for better treatment. Besides, there are only 10 beds in the ICU. Many times patients with dementia who cannot find a bed need to be moved elsewhere. In and around Rangpur, Cardiac Ambulance is the alternative to taking a comatose patient elsewhere for better treatment. But even after more than three years, the ambulance could not be started due to a lack of policy alone.
According to RpMC Hospital's administrative office, in 2021, the cardiac ambulance with all the facilities of the ICU was given to the RpMC Hospital authorities. So that it is possible to support the sick patients of this region by ambulance. The air-conditioned ambulance has advanced technology pulse oximeter, ECG machine, syringe pump, ventilator machine, soccer machine, monitor, oxygen cylinder, and all the life-saving equipment. So apart from the driver, it should be operated by one trained doctor, nurse and ward boy.
RpMC Hospital Director Dr. Mohammad Yunus Ali said, that due to a lack of manpower and policies, it is not possible to start the full operation of the cardiac ambulance. Despite that, the ambulance service continues occasionally. The health department has been informed to make the policy. He said that the work is also underway to list the ambulance on the Table of Organization and Equipment.
In this context, RpMC Hospital Management Committee President and Jatiya Sangsad Opposition Leader and Jatiya Party Chairman Golam Mohammad Quader said, I have heard that the hospital authorities are unable to operate the cardiac ambulance due to lack of manpower. But he assured that he would do whatever it takes to get the ambulance started soon.
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