Only Severely Critical Cases Admitted at Neurosciences Hospital

Securing admission to the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Bangladesh’s only specialized neurology hospital, remains a challenge, patients’ families complain. Authorities, however, assert that strict criteria, based on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), prioritize critically ill patients with scores between three and eight for admission.

A relative of Sazeda Khatun (50), a stroke patient from Narayanganj, said, “My mother suffered a stroke, and we rushed her here, but no beds were available as her GCS was 15. We had to admit her to a private hospital, which was very costly.” Another relative from Lakshmipur noted, “Services are mixed—some good, some poor. We waited a night in boarding, paying 900 taka, before a senior doctor arranged a bed for 230 taka.”

Families further allege paying extra for beds, with some claiming 1,500 taka was demanded by intermediaries. One relative, whose patient has been admitted for 22 days, said, “With a contact’s help, we got admitted. Services take time, but doctors and nurses regularly check on patients.” They criticized authorities for ignoring such transactions despite their regularity.

Assistant Professor Dr. Mohammad Aftab Russel refuted these claims, stating, “This is the country’s only neuro hospital, with 400 beds but around 4,000 daily outpatient visits. Tumor and adult tumor units have only 17 beds, yet 200 to 250 patients arrive daily, making admissions challenging.” He added, “For stroke patients, we follow specific criteria. If a patient’s GCS is below eight, their condition is critical; below three, survival chances are low. We prioritize these critical patients for admission.”