Reza Mahmud :
The tragic death of a veteran freedom fighter and lawyer of Bangladesh Supreme Court Advocate Golam Mohiuddin (70) is condemned by the people of all sections as he was led to death by refusing to be admitted to a hospital.
It is true, when a patient is refused to be admitted to a hospital, he cannot express his grief and pain. And if the refused person is a freedom fighter then the anguish knows no bound.
In case of Advocate Golam Mohiuddin’s death being refused to get admitted to different hospitals it becomes hard for his children and family to bear the heartache.
The lawyer was suffering from Asthma for long and was under treatment of Dr. Rashidul Islam, who is practicing in Anwar Khan Modern Hospital at Dhanmondi, Dhaka.
But in recent months he was sound in health. He fought in courts in different cases without any serious health complications.
He also performed fasting in last Ramzan as he felt no problem.
As per the family’s description, Advocate Mohiuddin fell sick suddenly in early morning on June 3.
The family members rushed him to Anwar Khan Modern Hospital as his physician Dr. Rashid was practicing in the hospital; but it was a big shock for them getting a negative approach from the healthcare center.
The hospital denied opening its door to enter the freedom fighter’s ambulance in its campus.
The family members tried repeatedly to reach Dr. Rashid over phone and requested the hospital officials humbly to admit him and check his physical condition but got no response.
His doctor Rashid’s phone found switched off round the time and the officials of the hospital said the patient might be contracted with coronavirus and suggested them to go to another Covid dedicated hospital.
“They said us that there was no empty Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and advised us to go to a Covid-19 dedicated hospital,” Mrs Mohiuddin told The New Nation yesterday in a chocking voice.
The family members then rushed to Moghbazar Rashmono hospital but they also refused to get admitted him despite their utmost humble requests.
The hospital officials seemed seriously panicked with coronavirus though the freedom fighter’s family members repeatedly stated that he has no symptoms of coronavirus.
“The officials of Rashmono Hospital asked us to show coronavirus test report, but we had none. In the meantime my father’s condition deteriorating and we all started crying,” Golam Aman Mohiuddin, son of freedom fighter Golam Mohiuddin told The New Naiton.
He said firstly the Rashmono officials told them that they had an ICU bed vacant but later they denied that and said no vacant bed was there.
They even did not open the hospital’s door and suggested to go to Mugda General Hospital as it is a Covid dedicated healthcare centre.
As they had no choice the freedom fighter’s family rushed him to Mugda General Hospital, but luck was not in favour of them.
Firstly the hospital officials asked them to show Covid-19 positive certificate which they had not obtained earlier.
At one stage, the officials agreed to test his health condition and found no Covid symptom and denied to admit the patient saying that they also had not any vacant ICU bed.
They also suggested them to go to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The stunned and frustrated family members then go to Millennium Heart and General Hospital in Dhanmondi where one of the family friends were working.
After checking the patients pulse, the doctors of the hospital declared him death at around 6:30 am.
Mrs Mohiuddin and her son Golam Aman Mohiuddin expressing their utmost pain said if one of the first two hospitals admitted him, his physical condition would have not deteriorated.
“My father needed healthcare service urgently in an ICU facility which the mentioned two hospitals were capable to provide but they denied,” Golam Aman said.
“We have lost our dearest one, but wish no other should face such an unbearable situation in the country in future,” Mrs Mohiuddin said.
She said every citizen of the country has a right to get medical treatment in hospitals. No patient should be denied from getting proper treatment.
