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Patuakhali Hospital All 17 water filters out of order

PWD purchased the filters at five times higher prices than real market price

SOHRAB Hossain, Patuakhali
All the 17 water filters at Patuakhali General Hospital have gone out of order within three months of installation.
There are allegations that the filters were purchased at almost five times higher prices than the real market price.
The Public Works Department (PWD) in Patuakhali installed the water filters at different points of the hospital for ensuring pure drinking water in March.
Sources at the PWD office said the department spent Tk 67,991 to install each of the water filters. But all the filters are now out of order.
During a recent visit to local markets, this correspondent talked to several technicians and found that each of the similar category water filter can be installed costing around Tk 15,000 toTk 16,000.
"We see a few water filters installed on the wall. But we don't get any water from these filters," said Jannati Begum, an attendant of a patient of children ward in the hospital.
"It would be beneficial for us, if we could get water from these filters. We have found it useless. Authorities concerned should take immediate steps to make these filters usable," said Abul Hossain, another attendant of a patient of medicine ward.
Seeking anonymity, a male nurse of the
hospital expressed his dissatisfaction over the incident and said this is nothing but wastage of government money. These water filters were purchased in high prices. But its quality is very poor.
Contacted, the hospital's superintendent Md Saiduzzaman said, "We, the hospital authority, requested to install water filters in the hospital. Following our request, PWD installed these. So, they can explain whether these were purchased in high cost or not."
"Unfortunately, these water filters went out of order within a few days of its installation. We have requested the PWD authorities to repair these immediately," said the superintendent.
Contacted, Md Zakaria, sub-assistant engineer of local PWD office, said, "We have already started working to repair the water filters. We hope these filters will start working immediately."
"These filters need regular maintenance. But the hospital authority did not send any requirement to us for its maintenance. Even, the hospital authorities did not conduct its maintenance. That is why, these filters went out of order,” he added.
Each of the filters has warranty for one year or purifying around 8,200 litre water, said Zakaria.
Asked about the high price of these filters, the PWD's official said the prices were accurate, not high.