Patients continue to suffer at SSMCH

Fewer patients are seeking medical service at Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital (SSMCH) with the strike by intern doctors of the hospital entering the second day.

The authorities of the hospital, better known as Mitford hospital, however, claimed medical services were not affected due to the strike.

Only 50 patients were admitted to the hospital until 1pm on Tuesday against 100 patients who had got admitted at the same time on Monday, an employee of emergency ward said.

The intern doctors went on an indefinite strike from Monday immediately after private television channel Ekushey TV filed a case against them over assault on its newsmen.

Reporters of ETV and another TV channel ATN Bangla were attacked by the intern doctors on Apr 19 when they had gone to the hospital to report a story.

ETV Director Md Zahidul Islam filed a case at Dhaka’s Metropolitan Magistrate’s court accusing the hospital’s Director Brig Gen Md Zakir Hossain, intern doctors Shahin, Shaon, Shoaib and Nayeem.

The hospital’s Deputy Director Md Abu Yusuf told bdnews24.com though 207 intern doctors had gone on the strike, they had 254 doctors and 450 nurses who are providing treatment.

However, a doctor preferring anonymity said it was expected that services would be affected by the strike.

Bangladesh Medical Association called an emergency meeting at 2.30pm in the wake of unrest of several hospitals.

Intern doctor Moaibul Islam Shoaib, president of the medical college’s Bangladesh Chhatra League unit and one of the accused, said they would decide the next action after the meeting.

The doctors would form a human chain on Wednesday morning at the hospital premises, he said.