Patients in Ctg suffer for 2nd day

Patients in Chittagong city continued to suffer for the second consecutive day yesterday as doctors stopped providing all sorts of healthcare services in private clinics and diagnostic centres.

Physicians also refrained from seeing patients in private chambers.

Visiting different private clinics and diagnostic centres in the port city, The Daily Star correspondent found that the clinics were not receiving patients and the diagnostic centres not conducting any tests.

Physicians of private clinics and diagnostic centres in the city went on an indefinite work abstention on Wednesday, demanding withdrawal of two cases filed against three of their colleagues on charge of negligence in duties.

The work stoppage forced hundreds of patients to crowd Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for treatment. The CMCH authorities were seen struggling to cope with such a large number of patients.

Majeda Begum went to Holy Crescent Hospital with severe back pain but was refused to be admitted there. Her family members also tried to get her admitted to some other private clinics but to no avail. Finally, they rushed her to the CMCH.

Jewel, son-in-law of Majeda, said they had been trying to get Majeda admitted to a private clinic since Thursday evening.

Contacted, Md Saiful Islam, emergency medical officer of the CMCH, said they received an overwhelming number of patients in the hospital yesterday.

“The well-off patients, who usually prefer visiting private clinics, are also coming to this hospital,” he said.

A total of 145 new patients got admitted to the CMCH until 1:00pm yesterday, he said, adding that the number is much higher than what they receive in a normal day.

Rokhsana Begum, who is now admitted to gynaecology ward, came here after her family members failed to get her admitted to a private clinic.

“We took her to three private clinics, but all refused to admit her. So we brought her here,” said Rokhsana's brother Kabir.

The rush of patients was also seen at cardiology and paediatrics wards.

The number of patients receiving treatment at cardiology ward is now 246, although its capacity is 60, said hospital sources.

Besides, the 65-bed paediatrics ward is now accommodating 170 patients, they added.

Prabir Kumar Das, an associate professor of cardiology department of the hospital, said the number of patients in cardiology ward increased fourfold.

“We are in a tremendous pressure to provide healthcare services due to the rush of patients,” he said.

Meanwhile, many patients had to return from diagnostic centres without performing tests and many critical patients were refused to have appointments of consultants in private chambers.

Swapan Das, who was suffering from liver complications, yesterday went to the Centre for Specialised Care and Research (CSCR) for some diagnostic tests but was refused.

“I went to three diagnostic centres to have some tests done but all of them refused... Where will I go now?” Swapan asked.

Contacted, Mujibul Haque Khan, president of Chittagong unit of Bangladesh Medical Association, said they would form human chains in front of every hospitals and clinics today, protesting the filing of the cases against doctors and attacks on physicians at different hospitals at different times.

“We will organise a press conference at Chittagong Press Club in the afternoon and declare our further programmes,” he said.

Regarding patients' sufferings, he said doctors were providing healthcare services round the clock at the CMCH.

“We have asked the private clinics to keep their intensive care unit and coronary care unit open for the sake of critical patients,” he said.

On January 10, Meherun Nesa, 22, niece of expatriate welfare minister Nurul Islam, died at a private clinic in Katalganj area following a caesarean operation due to alleged negligence of doctors. Another doctor at CMCH mistakenly left a bandage inside the body of Nur Absar, son of Jebal Hossain, during a recent surgery, according to the case statements.

The accused doctors are Shamima Siddique Rosy, Mahbubul Alam and Assistant Registrar Rana Chowdhury of CMCH. Rosy performed the c-section of Meherun at Surgiscope Hospital.

On Tuesday, the two cases were filed with a Chittagong court against the three physicians alleging negligence in duties.