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The Pabna Mother and Child Welfare Centre, established in 1964 and the sole dedicated maternity facility in Pabna, Bangladesh, is struggling to provide basic healthcare due to decades of neglect. The 20-bed hospital, handed over to the Department of Family Planning in the 1980s, now faces critical shortages of essential equipment and medicines, leading to the suspension of surgeries.

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There are no ultrasonography or essential testing facilities here.

Dr. Urmi Shaha, the hospital's key medical officer, stated that the operation theatre has been unused since January. The facility's anesthesia machine is 40 years old and unreliable, and there is no anesthetist available. Consequently, surgeries have been halted for the past six months. Dr. Shaha is managing all outdoor clinics, prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care single-handedly.

The hospital now primarily handles normal deliveries, but even these services are strained. "We have to manage five deliveries using only two kits," Dr. Shaha explained, noting that no new funds or equipment have been allocated for years. Hospital records show approximately 61 normal deliveries per month between July last year and May this year, with only 12 caesarean sections performed late last year.

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I know the limitations of the hospital, but I still brought my wife here for the allowance.

Despite services being largely free, patients often spend between Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,500 out-of-pocket for medicines and supplies per delivery. This financial burden is particularly difficult for poor families. Rupa Khatun, a pregnant woman, noted that regular check-ups at private hospitals can cost over Tk 3,000, making the government facility a necessity despite its limitations.

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It has two surgical tables, but our anaesthesia machine is 40 years old and unreliable. We do not even have an anaesthetist, so surgeries have been suspended for the last six months.

For some, like Md Shahidul Islam, the hospital's services are crucial for accessing government benefits. He brought his pregnant wife to the center to ensure she remains eligible for a Tk 800 monthly government allowance for low-income families, which requires a pregnancy certificate from the district family planning office. This highlights how the center, despite its severe deficiencies, remains a vital, albeit inadequate, resource for the community.

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We have to manage five deliveries using only two kits.