Minister's Surprise Visit to DMCH
Patients' relatives allege negligence of doctors
Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque yesterday experienced firsthand the allegations of negligence in duty by doctors during a surprise visit to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in the afternoon.
Stepping inside through the emergency gate around 4:00pm, he heard wailing and shouting in the neurosurgery ward and went there to investigate.
Relatives of a road accident victim Ismail Hossain Sumon, 27, who passed away only half an hour ago, surrounded the minister and vented their complaints.
Sumon's wife Nurjahan Akhter Jharna alleged that Sumon was brought to DMCH from Faridpur Medical College Hospital for better treatment to a head injury he suffered in Faridpur on Friday.
But he was left out in the hospital's corridor and when she tried to inform doctors and nurses of her plight, they rebuked her, she said.
After visiting the hospital for an hour, the minister told reporters that he had asked the DMCH director to form an enquiry committee and submit its report to him as early as possible.
Admitting that DMCH has a shortage of manpower, he assured Sumon's family that he would take necessary steps against anyone found responsible in the report.
Doctors and nurses of the ward said Sumon needed to be shifted to the Intensive Care Unit but there were no vacant beds.
Refuting allegations of negligence, they said they provided the treatment and medicine available there.
Later, at around 6:00pm, police and Sumon's relatives had a scuffle over the incident and police detained two persons, Ratan and Hanif, from the spot.
Earlier, the health minister visited Shaheed Suhrawardi Medical College Hospital and National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation.
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