Death of child: Family alleges wrong treatment by Central Hospital
The family of a six-year-old child who died at the Central Hospital in Dhaka last week has raised allegations of wrong treatment and negligence by the doctors and the hospital and demanded justice.
They held a press conference at the Crime Reporters' Association of Bangladesh in Dhaka yesterday.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. On July 7, Habiba Hira Chowdhury, who had a fever, was admitted to the hospital under doctor AFM Selim. She was diagnosed with dengue the same day.
During the press conference, Sufia Parvin, Habiba's mother, alleged that her daughter was given powerful antibiotics without proper tests.
"After she was given several types of antibiotics, my daughter's liver got damaged, which caused her to bleed via the rectum," the mother said.
She alleged that they found no doctor to inform about Habiba's condition and that only nurses were available. She also alleged that doctor Selim did not see the child regularly.
On July 10, when Selim last saw Habiba, he suggested paediatric intensive care support for the child. But the Central Hospital did not have a paediatric intensive care unit.
The child was rushed to the Universal Medical College Hospital and put on ICU support. On July 12, Habiba died.
"We learnt later that the dengue patient should not be prescribed any antibiotics. Ferritin level in the blood serum must be tested before given any antibiotics. But no such test was done at the Central Hospital," Sufia claimed.
Asked, doctor Selim told The Daily Star, "The complete blood count report suggested a secondary bacterial infection in the blood of the child. So I started antibiotics maintaining protocol."
He claimed that he visited the patient in person several times and had received updates on her condition regularly through the attending medical officer.
He dismissed the allegation of his negligence.
Mamunur Rashid Russel, manager of the Central Hospital, told The Daily Star, "The allegation of negligence is untrue. In fact, our paediatric department is well-equipped and has adequate manpower."
The health directorate last month suspended surgeries and the operations of the intensive care unit at the Central Hospital after the death of a mother and her baby following a "botched C-Section" on June 10.