Stalled Bangladesh maternity hospital leaves patients without surgical services

Construction delays at a maternity hospital in Sunamganj, Bangladesh, have left women and children relying on cramped rented premises without surgical services, The Financial Express reported after visiting the facilities.

The planned eight-story, 20-bed building was due for completion in July 2024. Work stopped the following month after the contractor abandoned the project, according to officials cited by the newspaper.

The existing Maternal and Child Welfare Centre has operated from a single-story rented building for nearly three years. Two beds serve normal deliveries, but the absence of a fully equipped operating room means complex cases must be referred elsewhere.

Husnul Karim, an assistant engineer with the Health Engineering Department (HED), said the previous contract had been canceled after 46.15% of construction was completed. A fresh tender was being processed to finish the building.