Doctors' strike sparks debate in port city

While doctors in Chittagong city say a physician should not be sued until an expert panel initially finds allegations of negligence in treatment true, the general public argues that there is nothing to be worried because if someone is innocent, the court will acquit him.

The debate came forth after the families of two patients sued three doctors in the port city recently, accusing them of being negligent in conducting surgeries. The filing of two cases was followed by a four-day work stoppage by doctors of private hospitals across the city, till Sunday.

The doctors say none but a physician would understand whether there was any negligence.

Prof Selim Mohammad Jahangir, principal of Chittagong Medical College, said, "If one takes a paracetamol, he may die due to the side effect. Medicines are called recognised poisons but doctors have to prescribe them to save lives."

He said, "Only an engineer will understand the negligence of an engineer in designing a building; similarly only a doctor will understand the negligence in treatment," he said. "So an expert panel should investigate allegations of negligence in treatment."

However, general people termed the demand illogical.

Iftekher Saimul Chowdhury, former general secretary of Chittagong District Bar Association, said anyone could be sued, and the court would decide whether the person was guilty or not.

He said hundreds of patients died in hospitals daily but doctors were not sued every day.

"Family members and relatives of a patient file cases against the doctor concerned when they strongly believe that there was negligence," he said. "If the doctor is innocent, he will be acquitted by the court, so he need not worry if sued."

Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, former first vice president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA), said, "We have seen all the doctors went on a strike only due to the suing of three doctors; so people will doubt whether they will get justice if a doctor investigates the allegation against a fellow."

On January 10, a 22-year-old woman died at a private clinic due to "negligence" in a caesarean operation, while a doctor at Chittagong Medical College Hospital mistakenly left a gauze bandage inside the body of a patient during a surgery, according to the case statements.

The two cases were filed against the three surgeons concerned on January 19.

Demanding withdrawal of the cases, doctors of private clinics and hospitals in the city started an indefinite strike on January 20 but they called it off on Sunday following assurances from Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin that the "misunderstandings" between the doctors and patients' families would be removed. The strike caused immense sufferings to hundreds of patients.

Meanwhile, all the three doctors -- Mahbubul Alam, Shamima Siddiqua Rosy, and Rana Chowdhury of CMCH -- have got bail in the two cases. Dr Rosy had performed the c-section at Surgiscope Hospital.