RAB raids Max Hospital in Chattogram after death of child

RAB’s executive magistrate is conducting an inspection of three private hospitals in Chattogram, including Max Hospital, which recently fired two doctors for ‘negligence’ leading to the death of a child.

Chattogram Bureaubdnews24.com
Published : 8 July 2018, 08:14 AM
Updated : 8 July 2018, 08:14 AM

RAB began the raids on Max Hospital, Metropolitan Hospital and CSCR Hospital in the port city simultaneously around 11:30am, RAB-7 Senior Assistant Director (Media) Mimtanur Rahman told bdnews24.com.

RAB Executive Magistrate Sarwoer Alam led the inspection at Max Hospital. Dr Dewan Mahmud Mehedi Hasan was also present as a representative from the Directorate General of Health Services.

The inspection will examine the chemicals at the biochemistry lab, medicines, the hospital’s documents and appointment letters for the staff, RAB official Mimtanur said.

“We have found some irregularities at Max Hospital,” said Alam about an hour after the start of the inspection. They send various disease samples outside Chattogram and abroad for tests. They work similar to commissioned agents.”

“But patients put their trust in the medical tests here. They need government permission to send medical samples abroad. But they are doing so without any sort of approval.”

One person is collecting the sample, another is testing it and the analysis is conducted at a separate location before reports are prepared at the Max labs.

“We cannot be certain whether they have been tested. Some people at the biochemistry lab have only passed their HSC. They should at least have an undergraduate degree or special qualifications. A hospital must have its own sample testing facilities, but they do not.”

The magistrate said that reports from Epic Health Care, Lab Aid, Popular Diagnostic Centre, Dr Lal Path Lab, Path Care Lab and Sigma Lab Limited had been found at Max Hospital.

On Jun 28, Dainik Samakal’s Senior Correspondent Rubel Khan’s two-and-a-half-year-old daughter was admitted to the hospital with a throat ache and then died while undergoing treatment the following day.

Journalists launched protests claiming ‘malpractice’. A committee from the Health Directorate and another led by the Chattogram civil surgeon began investigations into the incident.

The civil surgeon’s committee submitted its report on Thursday, stating that the doctors, nurses and hospital administration had been deficient in their duties. It recommended steps be taken against the three doctors overseeing her care due to their negligence.

Hospital Director Dr Liakat Ali Khan told bdnews24.com on Saturday that Dr Debashish Sengupta and Dr Shuvra Deb had been fired. The third doctor, specialist Dr Bidhan Roy, did not have a position at the hospital, he said.

According to the report, a lack of experience and sincerity was noted among the doctors when Raifa began experiencing the intense seizures.

Though the nurses were sincere in their efforts, they did not have the capacity or knowledge to handle the situation, it added.