Hospitals and our leaders
A news item in today's (February 15, 2008) newspapers has attracted my attention. It is on the health condition of Sheikh Hasina, a former prime minister of Bangladesh, who is now in custody suffering from ear and eye ailments and has marginal blood pressure. Some physicians examining her in jail have recommended that she be shifted to the Bangabandhu Hospital for observation and treatment. The IG (Prison) has even assured that she can be sent to any hospital of her choice in Bangladesh for treatment. But she has stated that she is concerned about her security in a hospital in Bangladesh and has expressed her wish to be sent to the US for treatment. Zillur Rahman, a leader of the Awami League, in echoing Sheikh Hasina's wishes, has even suggested that the party (Awami League) will bear all expenses of her treatment in the USA. Sheikh Hasina has been in the USA, during and after her premiership, for treatment of her various ailments.
Several years back Khaleda Zia, also a former prime minister, visited the New York Hospital for Special Surgery, for treatment of her leg problems. In 2006, Iazuddin Ahmed, the President of Bangladesh, was shifted to a hospital in Singapore by an air ambulance for emergency care. Some months back it was learnt that the eldest son of Khaleda Zia, now in custody, also needed medical treatment overseas. A prominent Awami League leader (cannot recollect his name) has been visiting Bangkok (or is it Singapore) quite frequently in connection with the treatment of his wife. Similarly, it is common knowledge and practice that many of the political leaders, high government officials , businessmen and wealthy citizens of Bangladesh regularly visit hospitals in Thailand, Singapore, India for medical treatment.
While it is the right of every citizen of Bangladesh to receive proper medical treatment, do the ordinary Bangladeshis receive the same attention and medical treatment like the VIPs mentioned in the previous paragraphs? What, of course, is common amongst these VIPs is that they are either powerful or wealthy, or both.
The hospitals in Bangladesh are in dismal condition and the care these hospitals provide is substandard. In the rural areas there is hardly any medical care available even though there are government run hospitals at the thana level. Most of the doctors posted there are busy in private practice disregarding the plight of the poor patients. Most hospitals lack medical equipment or there are equipment but no trained technicians. The same holds true for the hospitals in the major cities. And corruption has reached endemic levels at these facilities.
The quality of these hospitals would improve dramatically if our politicians and wealthy government officials would get admitted as patients in these hospitals when they or members of their families are sick. After all, they are the representatives of the people and are in a position to change things. They are the movers and shakers. Then they would see first hand the substandard medical care in these hospitals, and then it is they who would raise a hue and cry to improve the quality of medicare in these hospitals.
So next time when some big boss suffers a heart attack he should be air lifted to Bhurungamari thana health complex! I am sure there are highly qualified medical specialists and facilities in these hospitals offering the treatment that these VIPs require. After all don't the common Bangladeshis receive medical care in these hospitals ?
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