Cumilla Trauma Center itself 'traumatized'

Cumilla Trauma Center itself is in trauma, as the locals describe it. Despite being inaugurated twice under the governments of both the Awami League and BNP, it has remained non-functional for nearly two decades. Residents argue that political rivalry has led to the waste of a crucial public service institution, which was built with taxpayer money. The trauma center, strategically located along the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Daudkandi, Cumilla, was established in 2006 with the noble goal of providing emergency medical care to road accident victims. However, no medical services have ever been fully operational there. Currently, only a nominal outpatient department exists, offering minimal treatment for general ailments.

Reports indicate that the Cumilla section of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway stretches for 107 kilometers, along with the Cumilla-Sylhet, Cumilla-Noakhali, and Comilla-Chandpur highways. Road accidents frequently occur on these routes. Due to the time required to transfer injured victims to Dhaka or Cumilla Medical College Hospital, many patients succumb to their injuries before receiving treatment. The Cumilla Trauma Center was constructed to address this urgent need. Funded by the Public Works Department, the facility was built at a cost of 188 million BDT. It was first inaugurated on October 6, 2006, by the then Health Minister, Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, under the BNP government. However, due to a lack of equipment, it shut down within a month.

Later, under the Awami League government, the center was re-inaugurated on April 30, 2010, by the then Health Minister A.N.M. Ruhul Haque. Yet, beyond the outpatient department, no other medical services were introduced. Despite its strategic importance for highway travelers, the hospital has remained non-functional, turning into an abandoned structure. Although it was built with essential medical facilities such as an operation theater, ICU, CCU, and inpatient wards, the three-story hospital has been left to deteriorate.

Currently, only seven or eight local patients visit the hospital for treatment daily. The outpatient department is operated from the emergency ward and the doctors' and nurses' rooms. The building’s walls are crumbling, doors and windows are rusted, and due to lack of maintenance, it now resembles a haunted house. Except for two rooms on the ground floor, all other sections of the hospital have remained closed for years.

Local residents, including Mehedi Hasan Roni, Abul Bashar, and Abdul Malek, expressed their frustration, stating that spending millions of state funds on an unused facility is unacceptable. They urged the authorities to immediately operationalize the trauma center for public benefit, as its closure causes immense suffering to road accident victims, leading to unnecessary deaths.

Dr. Mohammad Nazmul Alam, the Medical Officer of the Trauma Center, stated that the building is deteriorating due to lack of maintenance, though it remains structurally intact. He mentioned that essential medical equipment is stored at Gauripur Upazila Health Complex. With the provision of advanced medical tools and sufficient staff, the hospital could be fully operational, potentially saving countless lives.

Deputy Civil Surgeon Reza Md. Sarwar Akbar acknowledged the issue, stating that the trauma center could be activated quickly if high-level policymakers approve it. The provision of staff and medical equipment is essential, but a decision from the higher authorities is required.

Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Md. Amirul Kaiser highlighted the frequent casualties on the highways in the region. He emphasized that the operationalization of the trauma center would save many lives and assured that he would seek the Health Ministry’s attention to ensure its prompt activation.

Cumilla Trauma Center itself is in trauma, as the locals describe it. Despite being inaugurated twice under the governments of both the Awami League and BNP, it has remained non-functional for nearly two decades. Residents argue that political rivalry has led to the waste of a crucial public service institution, which was built with taxpayer money. The trauma center, strategically located along the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Daudkandi, Cumilla, was established in 2006 with the noble goal of providing emergency medical care to road accident victims. However, no medical services have ever been fully operational there. Currently, only a nominal outpatient department exists, offering minimal treatment for general ailments.

Reports indicate that the Cumilla section of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway stretches for 107 kilometers, along with the Cumilla-Sylhet, Cumilla-Noakhali, and Comilla-Chandpur highways. Road accidents frequently occur on these routes. Due to the time required to transfer injured victims to Dhaka or Cumilla Medical College Hospital, many patients succumb to their injuries before receiving treatment. The Cumilla Trauma Center was constructed to address this urgent need. Funded by the Public Works Department, the facility was built at a cost of 188 million BDT. It was first inaugurated on October 6, 2006, by the then Health Minister, Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, under the BNP government. However, due to a lack of equipment, it shut down within a month.

Later, under the Awami League government, the center was re-inaugurated on April 30, 2010, by the then Health Minister A.N.M. Ruhul Haque. Yet, beyond the outpatient department, no other medical services were introduced. Despite its strategic importance for highway travelers, the hospital has remained non-functional, turning into an abandoned structure. Although it was built with essential medical facilities such as an operation theater, ICU, CCU, and inpatient wards, the three-story hospital has been left to deteriorate.

Currently, only seven or eight local patients visit the hospital for treatment daily. The outpatient department is operated from the emergency ward and the doctors' and nurses' rooms. The building’s walls are crumbling, doors and windows are rusted, and due to lack of maintenance, it now resembles a haunted house. Except for two rooms on the ground floor, all other sections of the hospital have remained closed for years.

Local residents, including Mehedi Hasan Roni, Abul Bashar, and Abdul Malek, expressed their frustration, stating that spending millions of state funds on an unused facility is unacceptable. They urged the authorities to immediately operationalize the trauma center for public benefit, as its closure causes immense suffering to road accident victims, leading to unnecessary deaths.

Dr. Mohammad Nazmul Alam, the Medical Officer of the Trauma Center, stated that the building is deteriorating due to lack of maintenance, though it remains structurally intact. He mentioned that essential medical equipment is stored at Gauripur Upazila Health Complex. With the provision of advanced medical tools and sufficient staff, the hospital could be fully operational, potentially saving countless lives.

Deputy Civil Surgeon Reza Md. Sarwar Akbar acknowledged the issue, stating that the trauma center could be activated quickly if high-level policymakers approve it. The provision of staff and medical equipment is essential, but a decision from the higher authorities is required.

Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Md. Amirul Kaiser highlighted the frequent casualties on the highways in the region. He emphasized that the operationalization of the trauma center would save many lives and assured that he would seek the Health Ministry’s attention to ensure its prompt activation.