, Aug. 22 -- Dental services at Cumilla Medical College Hospital are being severely hampered by shortage of essential equipment, forcing many patients to return without treatment or seek care at private facilities.

Although the dental department has 10 doctors, a shortage of necessary equipment and manpower has limited the number of dental surgeries that can be performed each day to 20. Patients who fail to secure a place on the daily list are often turned away.

Mohammad Abu Jafar travelled from Muradnagar with his son for a tooth extraction but was unable to get treatment after arriving late and finding that all 20 surgery slots for the day had already been filled.

"I came from far away to have my son's tooth extracted. I requested th...