Ehsanul Hague Jasim :
With the increase of medical malpractice, the country’s medical system and health service have deteriorated over the years. As a result, people’s confidence on treatment has considerably lost and their sufferings know no bounds. Deaths of patient due to negligence of doctors or authorities of hospitals and clinics are often heard now-a-days.
A section of dishonest doctors are allegedly pushing the medical institutions towards an unimaginable quagmire. So is the medical malpractice now being seen as a common phenomenon across the country. Doctors were also seen unwilling to stay at the countryside hospitals.
A case of death of an eye patient due to negligence of hospital authorities and another case due to medical malpractice at a Mohakhali blood bank were reported on Thursday.
The eye patient died at ‘Lion A Badal Eye Hospital’ at South Banasree in the city following pushing. of an injection by a ward-boy of the hospital. After the incident, the agitating relatives of the deceased and the local people vandalised the glasses and furniture of the hospital.
On information, police rushed to the spot and put the situation under control.
Police arrested five persons in this connection. Of them, two are doctors and other three are staff members. Khilgoan police said that the arrestees were under their custody and they would take further initiative in this regard on, receipt of written complaint.
The patient identified as Mohammad Quashem Khan, 60, from Bauria village under Golachiapa upazila in Patuakhali breathed his last just minutes after application of anesthesia for glaucoma operation. The ill-fated victim came to his son’s residence at House No-I7, Block-G, South Banasree on Wednesday with eye complaint. He was admitted to the hospital on Thursday morning.
The family members complained that Quashem Khan became the prey of the medical negligence of the doctors and staff of the hospital. Minara Begum, daughter-in-law of the deceased, said, “My father-in-law was admitted to the hospital for eye treatment. He died no sooner had a ward boy applied anesthesia for glaucoma operation. The hospital authorities are verily responsible for the death.”
– Mohammad Hanif, son of the deceased, said that a staff under no circumstances is authorised to push injection. But it was done in the hospital. “As such, it can be said that it was a case of murder and the hospital doctors and staff are responsible for it. We want justice,” he said. Contd on page-2 Col-7
– Shimul, a staff of the hospital, who was later arrested, admitted that he pushed the anesthesia injection according to the directive of his boss. He claimed that he was a medical assistant.
Mobarak Hossain, a doctor of the hospital, who was also picked up, told this reporter that Shimul was a staff of the hospital. He said that Quashem Khan died after they started the operation process. “It is just an accident,” he claimed.
Alongside with Dr Mubarak and Shimul, in-charge of the hospital Dr. Kisherlal Chakma was also arrested. Meanwhile, the body of Quashem Khan was sent to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) for autopsy.
On the other hand, a mobile court recovered at least 32 bags of spurious blood of addicted persons as well as professional blood donors during a drive at the city’s Mahakhali Patient Welfare Blood Bank. The mobile court of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) led by Magistrate ARM Anwar Pasa conducted the drive.
The court awarded two years of imprisonment to the five persons. Of them, four are the owners, while the other one is technician of the blood bank.
The condition of medical malpractice is also common in the other hospitals and clinic. When it is a private hospital, all the expenses of equipment, doctors’ bills, hospital space rent, have increased a lot, and these have to be paid by private practitioners. These are nothing but a sort of malpractice, said several patients.
Health Minister Mohammad Nasim recently told Parliament that a total of 11 doctors had been terminated for medical malpractice, while punitive actions were taken against over 100 others due to their negligence in duty in the last five months from January this year. He said the ministry has taken initiatives to ensure medical services in the remote areas.
In May this year, five doctors of Labaid Hospital were sued over the death of a patient due to their alleged negligence, as former Daudkandi Municipality mayor Nasiruddin died in the hospital due to doctors’ negligence.
Physicians of BIRDEM Hospital and relatives engaged into a brawl over the death of a patient on May 6. A deadlock situation was created at the famous hospital over the attack on three doctors following a patient’s death on April 13.
