A sudden power failure at Chattogram Medical College Hospital on Saturday morning disrupted crucial diagnostic services for nearly two and a half hours, causing widespread distress among patients and their families.
The disruption began at roughly 8:45 AM, a peak operating window when the hospital corridors are typically filled with individuals seeking urgent medical evaluation. Essential diagnostic procedures, including X-rays and ultrasonography, came to an abrupt halt. The blackout crippled daily administrative and medical routines, leading to long queues building up at ticket counters and waiting areas alike.
While the medical facility is equipped with backup generators, hospital staff noted that these emergency systems lack the capacity to operate heavy diagnostic equipment. Operating large medical machinery and sensitive instruments requires a steady, high-capacity electrical current. Consequently, critical imaging services remained offline until normal grid power was restored at around 11:15 AM.
The Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) clarified that the outage was tied to scheduled maintenance and cabling work along a feeder serving the stadium area, which encompasses the hospital. Prior notices had warned of temporary supply suspensions across multiple local feeders between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM to facilitate the infrastructure upgrades.
Shahidul Islam, executive engineer of the PDB’s stadium sales and distribution division, explained that while the shutdown was pre-announced, electricity was promptly reinstated following a direct telephone appeal from the hospital director, prioritising the immediate welfare of the patients.
The radiology and imaging department bore the heaviest burden during the suspension. Dr Kazi Md Alam, head of the department, pointed out that the facility houses six X-ray machines that rely entirely on a stable electrical feed. Additionally, operating high-end ultrasonography equipment requires consistent air-conditioning support to prevent overheating, which was lost during the outage.
As a result, a massive backlog accumulated. When electricity returned at 11:15 AM, staff faced severe pressure to clear the lines, particularly distressing for patients who had travelled long distances from surrounding rural areas for time-sensitive evaluations.
Brigadier General Mohammad Taslim Uddin, director of the hospital, intervened directly during the crisis. Acknowledging the severe hardship inflicted on vulnerable visitors, he contacted the power authorities to expedite the restoration. Administrative officials have since urged the power board to establish robust protocols to safeguard uninterrupted electricity supplies for the medical centre moving forward.
As one of the country’s most vital public healthcare institutions, Chattogram Medical College Hospital handles a massive daily influx of patients. Saturday’s incident highlights the absolute dependence of modern clinical diagnostics on stable power infrastructure, underscoring the critical need for foolproof energy backups in major medical hubs.
