TANGAIL — Tangail Medical College Hospital, the district’s largest government health facility, has become severely unsanitary, with stagnant sewage water, garbage and foul odor accumulated inside and outside the premises for a long time. Unplanned waste management has created serious concern among patients and their families. Newly appointed municipal administrator (DDLG) Mahfuzul Alam Masum and Tangail Municipality Chief Executive Officer Md. Anisur Rahman visited the medical college hospital on Monday as part of a citywide cleanliness drive.
Hospital Director Dr. Abdul Quddus accompanied them on the inspection of waste management inside and outside the hospital. The visit revealed garbage strewn across internal stairways, courtyards and areas surrounding the wards. In some places, medical waste had not been properly removed, leading to an increase in mosquitoes and flies. Officials fear this could spread dengue, diarrhea and other infectious diseases. Relatives of patients said, “People come to the hospital to recover, but in this filthy environment there is a fear of contracting new diseases instead.” Many patients said the stench has made it difficult to stay in the wards.
Health experts said hospitalized patients have low immunity, making such an environment a serious infection risk. Neglect in medical waste management poses a significant public health threat, they said.
Civic groups have urged authorities to step up cleanliness operations, ensure modern waste management and conduct regular monitoring. A hospital should never be a symbol of an unsanitary environment, they said, but rather a model of cleanliness and safe treatment. Saline bags, napkins, needles, syringes and gauze bandages lay scattered in abandoned areas of the hospital, and the stench made it difficult to remain on the premises.
Mahfuzul Alam Masum said the cleanliness drive is also a priority for the district administrator. “The municipality will arrange to clear the garbage outside, but the conditions inside are very unsanitary,” he said. He asked hospital staff to segregate medical waste separately so the municipality could remove it. He also said he would accompany the hospital director to meet the district administration and the Public Works Department if any problem arises in waste management.
Dr. Abdul Quddus said, “I want what you want — for this hospital to be free of waste mismanagement, so that patients can receive proper treatment. I believe this requires a coordinated effort. We will speak with the district administrator and develop a plan to gradually address this problem.” He thanked the municipal administrator for visiting the hospital.
Also present were Tangail Municipality Chief Executive Officer Md. Anisur Rahman, Citizens’ Rights Protection Committee General Secretary engineer Noor Mohammad Rajya, joint secretary Mehedi Saju, Human Rights Review Society Tangail district unit president Md. Rashed Khan Menon (Russell), members of BD Clean, municipal staff and other civic leaders.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report