Govt takes initiative to open 24 unused trauma centres

photo: collected

The government has taken an initiative to reopen 24 trauma centres that have remained unused for years along the country’s highways.

An initiative has also been taken to launch a nationwide 24-hour ambulance network to ensure rapid emergency care for road accident victims and prevent disabilities.

The government has also taken measures to modernise these long-unused facilities and open them as ‘Accident and Emergency Treatment Centres’.

Medical services will be introduced at all 24 centres in phases after ensuring necessary doctors, nurses, medical equipment and other logistics.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman gave instructions to open these centres at a meeting with officials of the health ministry on August 12.

At the meeting, it was decided that the names of the existing 24 trauma centres would be changed to ‘Accident and Emergency Treatment Centres’ and that, in consultation with the Roads and Highways Division, ‘Accident and Emergency Treatment Centres’ would be established through projects on vacant land alongside roads and highways.

The Prime Minister also instructed that X-ray machines, ambulances and equipment, as required, should be procured from the approved budget of the Health Services Division.

These 24 trauma centres were established at different times alongside important highways across the country to ensure treatment for people injured in road accidents closed to the accident sites within the shortest possible time.

The objective was to bring injured people under treatment quickly and reduce fatalities.

However, due to a lack of necessary manpower, medical equipment and administrative approval, the centres have remained unused for years.

According to Health Services Division, initiatives were taken to construct 10 trauma centres in the 2004-05 fiscal year and another 14 in 2010 alongside various important highways across the country.

Only two of these centres currently have limited outpatient services. One is being used as part of the orthopaedics department of a district hospital concerned.

The objective of constructing these centres was to provide prompt treatment, particularly to patients suffering serious injuries to the head, chest, spine and bones.

Initiatives had also been taken to establish a 20-bed ICU and a 40-bed isolation centre in each three-storey building.

One such centre is the Mulibari Trauma Centre in Sirajganj Sadar. It was constructed in 2020 at a cost of around Taka 11 crore to provide immediate services to patients injured in road accidents on the Dhaka-Rajshahi-Rangpur highway.

After remaining unused for six years, the centre was temporarily opened for 14 days from May 21 during the last Eid-ul-Azha to provide services to road accident victims. It was later closed again.

The other centres are located in different parts of the country, including Atgharia in Pabna; Sherpur in Bogura; Sirajganj Sadar and Ullapara; Bhairab in Kishoreganj; Gopalganj Sadar; Shibchar in Madaripur; Shibalaya in Manikganj; Zajira in Shariatpur; Bhanga (Madhukhali) in Faridpur; Sreenagar in Munshiganj; Dhamrai in Dhaka; Elenga in Tangail; Lohagara, Hathazari and Raozan in Chattogram; Daudkandi in Cumilla; Bhaluka in Mymensingh; Chhatak in Sunamganj; and Bahubal in Habiganj.

According to the original plan, each trauma centre was supposed to have a total of 14 doctors, including seven consultants, three orthopaedic surgeons, two anesthetists and two resident medical officers.

In addition, each centre was supposed to have 10 nurses, along with pharmacists, radiographers and other technicians.

However, none of the centres received appointments according to the proposed manpower structure.

Asked about the matter, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr MA Muhit told BSS, “We have taken an initiative to open 24 trauma centres focusing on the highways. Very soon, these will be converted into ‘Accident and Emergency Centres’."

To ensure rapid emergency medical services for road accident victims, he said, an integrated network involving ambulances and trained volunteers using motorcycles is being developed.

"We are working with the aim of operating it in the future as a sustainable part of our regular health system,” the state minister added.