Interns on strike at BSMCH

The ransacked office at the surgery ward at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital. PHOTO: STAR

No initiative was taken till yesterday afternoon to restore normalcy at the hospital as the district administration is busy with municipal polls, sources in the administration said.

Treatment facilities have virtually collapsed as the 500-bed hospital is dependent mainly on interns, numbering about 500. The hospital with a handful of senior doctors accommodates over 700 patients, sources at the hospital said.

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The Director of the hospital lodged a general diary with police after the untoward incident.

Eight year-old Mohiuddin Sheik, son of businessman Abdur Rahman Sheikh of Hatkhola Chawak Bazar road in the city, was playing on the rooftop of their house. Suddenly he became in contact with a live high-voltage electric wire that crossed by the side of their residence.

Fatally injured Mohiuddin was rushed to the hospital at about 1.30 pm Tuesday. His hands, legs, chest and abdomen were seriously burnt, doctors and other sources at the hospital said.

Relatives of the boy alleged that doctors, without giving any emergency treatment or proper nursing, advised them to take him to Dhaka immediately.

The relatives requested the hospital authorities to allow a doctor to accompany the boy on way to Dhaka. But the authorities declined, saying there is no such provision.

At this, they became agitated and ransacked the office room at the surgery ward and assaulted some of the doctors and staff. Attendants of the other patients and police from the campus controlled the situation.

After the incident, interns began an indefinite strike demanding security of hospital staff and punishment of the attackers.

The Director of the hospital, when contacted, refuted the charge of negligence by doctors in treatment of the boy. He said the patient was referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as his condition was critical and facilities for his proper treatment were lacking at the hospital.

The child died Tuesday evening while he was being taken to Dhaka by a private air service.