The Lalmonirhat Railway Hospital, which used to be a crucial healthcare facility for railway officials, employees, and their families, now stands deserted and non-functional, depriving the community of essential medical services for an extended period. Despite having sanctioned positions for indoor and outdoor doctors, all remain vacant, leading to a halt in patient admissions for the past five years and the closure of the outdoor unit for over a year.
Dr. Partha Sarathi Bonik, a physician from Syedpur Railway Hospital, has been appointed as the divisional medical officer for Lalmonirhat; however, his presence is limited to one day a week, primarily for administrative duties. The hospital’s infrastructure is deteriorating, with its operation theatre lying idle and laboratory equipment non-operational.
Lab attendant Pallab Bhattacharya recalled the facility’s initial years of operation but noted its eventual shutdown due to the absence of doctors, causing a complete halt in lab services. Nursing-in-charge Mohsina Begum expressed the frustration of having the necessary staff, equipment, and resources but lacking doctors to fulfill their duty of patient care.
Railway employees lamented the hospital’s decline, highlighting its previous vibrancy compared to the current state of abandonment. The lack of medical professionals has forced them to seek healthcare elsewhere, disrupting their access to medicines and treatments that were once readily available within the hospital premises.