Patients suffer as doctors in Chittagong private hospitals continue strike

An overcrowded Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) has been struggling to provide proper services to patients after doctors in private hospitals went on strike.

Private medical practices in the city have come to a halt since Wednesday after doctors began protests demanding that a case filed against two of their ilk following the death of a patient be withdrawn. 

Most of the wards in the CMCH did not have enough space so beds were seen laid out on the floors for the patients on Friday morning.

Many among them have complained about ‘negligence’ by doctors and nurses.

Considering the rush, CMCH authorities on Thursday cancelled leaves granted to its staff.

Emergency Wing’s Dr Md Saiful Islam said 560 patients were sent from his department for admission and 580 were admitted until 8pm Thursday.

Another 620 got admitted between 8pm Thursday to 8am Friday, he said.

Hundreds more were receiving medical attention at the outpatient department.

“There are more patients than usual. But the doctors here are sincere in their efforts to provide them all care,” he added.

But the patients and their attendants have numerous complaints.

The CSR clinic was closed on Friday morning, said Motiur Rahman Emon who brought his mother to CMCH from the city’s Colonel Haat area.

“Then I brought her to Chittagong medical. But not doctor attended to her until it was 12pm.” 

Md Salauddin, who was attending a thalassemia patient from Cox’s Bazar, said the tests the doctor recommended were not available at the CMCH and the diagnostic centres were all closed.

“There is no point making people feel so helpless,” he said.

Visits to the city’s private diagnostic centre CSR and National Hospital showed that all departments, except the Coronary Care Units and Intensive Care Units, were closed.

Meherunnahar Rima, 25, died after giving birth at private hospital ‘Surgiscope’ on Jan 10. She was daughter of Expatriates' Welfare & Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam’s brother Khairul Bashar.

Her relatives vandalised the hospital claiming she died because of doctors’ negligence.

Her father Bashar then filed a complaint at Chittagong’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrates court against the doctors.

The court ordered the officer-in-charge of Panchlaish Police Station to accept the complaint as a case.

CMCH Assistant Professor of gynaecology Shamima Siddiki and her husband Mahbubul Alam have been named accused in the case.

The Chittagong unit of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) closed down all private practices and doctors’ chambers from Wednesday, demanding that the case be withdrawn.

Their protests will continue until Saturday, BMA leaders said.