Struggles of patients at NITOR: A glimpse into chaos, compassion

It’s 9:00am at the National Orthopaedic Hospital and Rehabilitation Institute. The hospital is a chaotic hub of activity, with hundreds of patients and their families gathered outside. Navigating through the crowd is nearly impossible. Inside, the story is no different – patients, most of whom are victims of road accidents, struggle to find space and receive care. The corridors echo with the frustration of patients, the exhaustion of doctors, and the relentless pursuit of treatment.
An overwhelmed facility
NITOR officials admit the hospital is operating far beyond its capacity. With 1,000 beds and a constant stream of emergencies, it’s a battle to meet the demand. Each day, the outpatient department (OPD) sees between 900 and 1,100 patients, but on days like today, that number surges to around 1,400. The emergency department is equally strained, catering to 150–200 patients daily, many in critical condition.
D. Rakij Khan, the Emergency Medical Officer (EMO), described the relentless pace: “This crowd is present 24 hours a day, even at 3 AM. Most cases are from road accidents, especially involving motorcycles. Some are elderly, injured in falls, or suffering from bone fractures.”
The queue war for treatment
Patients face a gruelling ordeal to get from the ticket counter to the doctor’s room. Many resort to hiring brokers to navigate the labyrinth of crowded rooms and long queues.
Take five-year-old Mithila from Chandpur. After breaking her leg in a motorcycle accident, her mother brought her to NITOR for a follow-up. They arrived in an ambulance and needed a hired assistant to manage the X-rays and secure a doctor’s consultation. Despite all this, Mithila’s mother lamented, “I couldn’t meet the doctor myself or discuss my child’s condition properly.”
Milan Mia, a day labourer from Maona, has spent years seeking relief for his son Mehedi’s hip joint pain. Despite enduring a tiresome process, Milan’s disappointment grew when he couldn’t see his regular doctor and left with uncertainty about his son’s recovery.
A glimpse of helplessness
For patients like 50-year-old Makhan from Pirojpur, the challenges seem endless. After breaking his leg a year ago, he returned for a follow-up. Though he arrived early, he spent hours navigating between departments for an X-ray. Eventually, he was told there was no film available, despite others getting X-rays in front of him.
Such experiences highlight the inefficiencies and resource shortages plaguing the system. Stretchers carry patients through overcrowded rooms, exposing the untold stories of pain and helplessness.
The root of the problem
NITOR is inundated with victims of road accidents, a crisis the hospital attributes to inadequate road safety measures. EMO Rakij Khan emphasised the urgent need for improvements in road engineering and management. He called for enforcing stricter controls on highways and local roads, implementing seasonal safety measures during winter and rainy seasons, and ensuring better road designs to prevent vehicles from descending slopes too quickly.
Moving forward
NITOR’s situation underscores the challenges of delivering healthcare in an overstressed system. While doctors and staff work tirelessly, the gap between capacity and demand continues to widen. Addressing the root causes of road accidents and improving hospital resources are crucial steps toward easing this relentless burden.