Woman unconscious for 3 weeks after operation

An official probe report revealed that the doctor was not 'specialised in surgery' in the field and that laboratory test was not done before the operation.

The probe was done by a three-member body led by Rajshahi Civil Surgeon Dr. AK Fazlul Haque following a complaint by the patient's husband.

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The probe body was formed on August 12 and its report was sent to the Directorate of Health on August 26 for action, the civil surgeon told this correspondent on Thursday.

This correspondent during a visit to the clinic yesterday found her still unconscious. Shew is on saline only, sources at the clinic said.

Day labourer Mofiz Uddin brought her wife Rashida Begum to Rajshahi on August 7 in the evening with acute pain in her lower abdomen. They came from Sonadanga village under Bagmara upazila.

As in many other cases, they fell in the hands of a 'broker' engaged by a clinic. The broker took them to Nazma Clinic, owned by a former Rajshahi divisional health director.

The clinic authorities told Mofiz Uddin that that his wife had a tumor on her oval and that she would be operated upon.

In the following morning, she was taken to the operation theatre and given anaesthesia for operation.

But she was taken out of the operation theatre (OT) half an hour later as the doctor did not turn up in time, it was gathered.

At around 11 am, she was again taken to the OT and given anaesthesia.

Dr Sarmin Sultana, medical officer of Paba Upazila Health and Family Welfare Centre, did the operation.

But Rashida did not regain sense. After three days, Mofiz Uddin complained to the civil surgeon.

The probe body did a thorough investigation.

In its report the probe body said the patient developed 'celebral hypocria' due to anaesthesia within short interval.

The report said the operation was a 'major' one but laboratory test was not done before the operation.

The operation was done by a doctor "not specialised in surgery" and that the clinic was unregistered, it said.

The report suggested shifting of the patient to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for better treatment but the clinic authorities kept her at the clinic till yesterday.

Talking to this correspondent, the civil surgeon confirmed the findings of the probe body.

When contacted, Riaz Uddin, the director of the clinic, claimed that proper tests were done before the operation, but he could not show any documents in this regard.

He also failed to give satisfactory reply when asked about the allegation that the clinic was operating without any registration.