Patients are being deprived of normal medical services as a section of government and private hospitals have continued to skip patients on a raft of excuses by riding on the back of coronavirus scare.
According to an investigation, on the one hand, the number of patients in the hospitals has decreased while on the other, doctors are not available in some hospitals for emergency treatment. This has created a terrible crisis in medical services.
After visiting several hospitals in the capital and talking to the patients, it has been learned that they are struggling even for the minimum treatment. Visiting a few hospitals in Shahbagh, Dhanmondi, Shyamoli and Panthapath, it is seen that the number of patients is very low. Most specialist doctors are absent from work. There is not much crowd of patients at the outdoor counter. One or two doctors are engaged in the treatment of those who have come. However, they are also saying goodbye to the patients with a normal prescription.
A visit to a private hospital in Panthapath revealed that the main entrance to the hospital had been closed. Only the pocket gate is open. When a patient comes, the doorman who is on duty at the gate will let him in only after knowing everything. If anyone comes there with any symptoms of coronavirus or Covid-19, he is not being treated. Even if you talk about a general fever, you are not allowed to go inside. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the doorman said the authorities imposed strict restrictions so that no cold or fever patients are admitted to the hospital. He said that doctors and nurses also remind him of the matter every day.
Meanwhile, a number of private clinics were found closed in the Shyamoli area of the capital. Even those that are open do not have the presence of patients and doctors. The staff of several hospitals, who did not want to be named, said that patients from outside Dhaka were treated at private hospitals and clinics in the area. Due to coronavirus, patients from all over the country have stopped coming. So there is no condition to keep the hospital open.
Sarifa Islam, a first-rate private hospital in Panthapath, told this reporter that she went to a well-known private hospital in Dhanmondi with gynecological complains as she takes regular treatment there. But there was no specialist doctor. Later she was forced to come to this hospital in Panthapath. Although she got a doctor here, she could not do a few tests due to lack of manpower in the hospital. That is why she has been asked to come again after one day.
A journalist named Plabon Rahman said that he started having abdominal pain a few days ago in the evening. Then he went to a private hospital in Kazipara. But they expressed inability to give her treatment. As a result, he went to another well-known hospital in Mirpur. He was taken to the emergency department and kept there for some time. Then he rushed to another hospital only to discover that there was no diagnosis as everything was closed. He was later admitted to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College & Hospital. Many like him are angry at such as behaviour of hospitals for fear of coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the picture of government hospitals is quite similar. The government has declared a general holiday across the country since March 26 after the outbreak of coronavirus in the country. Besides, outdoor medical services have been provided at the government hospital from 8 am to 12 noon. However, the emergency department is running round the clock. Visiting several specialized hospitals in the capital, it is seen that the number of patients is much less than normal. However, the presence of doctors is very thin. A specialized hospital in Tejgaon was supposed to have five doctors for the treatment of outdoor patients but there was only one doctor.
Asked about this, a senior official of the hospital said, "Everyone is panicked because of coronavirus." In the past, hundreds of patients used to come to this hospital every day for treatment, but now a maximum of 20/25 people are coming daily. Due to the low number of patients, all the doctors are not sitting together and sharing the responsibility and giving treatment. However, everyone is coming to the hospital regularly. And strong measures have been taken for the safety of all health workers including doctors and nurses.
However, private medical college hospitals are ready to provide medical services to all types of patients, said Enamur Rahman, secretary general of the Private Medical Colleges Association and state minister for disaster management. He said, “Our 69 medical college hospitals are open 24 hours a day. They are ready to treat all kinds of diseases. In any health crisis, the private medical college hospitals are committed to serving the people on the side of the government. ”
Meanwhile, Health Minister Zahid Maleque has warned that action will be taken against those involved if patients are refused treatment at any private hospital, clinics and private chambers without receiving services. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also given a strong message to the runaway doctors.
sr/wi/teb
