Suspended doctors say they ‘never refused’ to treat COVID-19 patients

A Health Directorate official has said the decision to suspend doctors of the Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital is not final as two of the six punished doctors say they never refused to treat COVID-19 patients.

Nasima Sultana, the additional director general of health services, told bdnews24.com on Sunday that the directorate acted on allegations raised by the hospital authorities.

She said the doctors still can return to work. “There might have been a gap in information,” Nasima said.

“And it’s only suspension, not permanent sacking. It can be [reversed] anytime,” she added.

The government prepared the hospital exclusively for treatment of patients with coronavirus infection after the outbreak started.

Its Supervisor Mohammad Shehab Uddin reported the six doctors to the Health Directorate on Apr 9 for not treating patients.

Those who went absent without leave were junior consultant of anaesthesia Herombo Chandra Roy, and medical officers Farhana Hasanat, Urmi Parvin and Kausar Ullah, according to the report.

Junior consultant of gynaecology Sharmin Hossain and resident physician Fazlul Haque refused to treat COVID-19 patients, it added.

Sharmin in a video posted on Facebook refuted the allegation.

“I had the roster from Apr 1 to 7. I had worked continuously and returned home on Apr 8 morning. The supervisor, without communicating with me, reported to the Health Directorate on Apr 9 that I am unwilling to treat COVID-19 patients. I’ve never told him anything like this verbally or in writing,” she said.

She claimed Supervisor Shehab Uddin apologised to her for the “mistake” and sought to correct it when she asked him about the matter.

The other doctor, Fazlul, told Ekattor TV that he had worked as the focal person at the hospital until Mar 31 and requested to be on duty from Apr 15 when the authorities asked him to start from the second week of the month.

“I had prepared myself by being in quarantine in a hotel, but never expressed unwillingness to do my duty. I even visited the hospital when I was off duty. But the hospital authorities never informed me. I was shocked to hear about the suspension. I was belittled. I demand justice,” he said.

Supervisor Shehab Uddin could not be reached for comment.