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Published : 20 Jul 2020, 09:36 PM
The hospital has also stopped admitting new patients. The facility will be sealed off once all the remaining patients leave, according to a RAB spokesman.
The elite police unit, led by Executive Magistrate Sarwoer Alam, arrested two people during the raid on Sunday.
The arrestees are Assistant Director Abul Hasnat and Store Keeper Shahriz Kabir.
A case is being prepared against them, said ASP Sujoy Sarker, senior assistant director of RAB's legal and media wing.
As many as nine different irregularities were uncovered in the hospital during the raid, including the issuance of coronavirus reports without approved tests, according to RAB officials.
The other irregularities done by the hospital include running coronavirus tests with unauthorised rapid test kits, admission of coronavirus-negative patients by giving them positive test results, and continuing operations after its licence expired a year ago.
The RAB arrested Abul Hasan, the assistant director of Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital in Dhaka’s Gulshan on Sunday during a raid amid allegations of unapproved coronavirus test at the private facility.
The hospital was using disposable medical equipment more than once for surgery, the RAB said.
In March, Healthcare services at private hospitals and clinics were scaled down amid fears over the coronavirus outbreak in Bangladesh.
But as the outbreak intensified in April, the government designated Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 patients along with Mohakhali's Universal Medical College Hospital, Dhanmondi's Anwar Khan Modern Medical College Hospital and Eskaton's Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College Hospital.
Although the other three hospitals complied, SMCH did not join the fray immediately.
Later, the government directed all hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients alongside general ones. That is when SMCH and other private hospitals began offering treatment for the coronavirus.
The hospital was virtually empty on Monday but no law-enforcement officers were seen there.
A patient was being accompanied out of the hospital by relatives around 3pm. He was admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 symptoms around four days ago, said 'Palash', one of his relatives. He had been discharged by the hospital even though the results of his COVID-19 test hadn't come back yet.
"The hospital said they'll give us the report in the evening."
The hospital's information desk announced that it would not be admitting any patient after turning away two people in the morning. Among the in-patients, five left the hospital in the afternoon following the RAB's raid.
The RAB, led by Executive Magistrate Sarwoer Alam, raided Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital in Dhaka’s Gulshan on Sunday amid allegations of unapproved coronavirus test at the private facility.
Among them, three were in intensive care, according to SMCH Chairman Mohammed Shahabuddin.
"We have stopped admitting new patients. I have no objections to measures being taken against any irregularities at the hospital. But no-one in the hospital has been infected with COVID-19 as we've always remained alert."
Shahabuddin added that his son Faisal Al Islam had contracted the coronavirus infection. He is being quarantined in a hotel.
"Law enforcers are keeping an eye on him there."
Asked about the matter, RAB official Sujoy said he did not know anything about Shahabuddin's son.
Preparations are underway to initiate a case against SMCH. The hospital will be sealed off after all the patients leave but that may take some time, he added.
