Patients suffer at DMCH as doctors skip work
Patients at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) are facing significant hardships as doctors and staff are abstaining from work, halting medical services across various units, including the emergency and outpatient departments.
The work abstention follows attack on three doctors by peers of a private university student who died on Saturday (August 31).
In response, intern doctors issued a 24-hour ultimatum, demanding the identification and punishment of the attackers, and threatening a complete shutdown of the hospital if their demands were not met. Senior doctors also extended their support to the interns.
However, the work stoppage began before the 24-hour deadline expired. Although doctors initially reported to work this morning, they gradually left the hospital as the day progressed.
By 8:30am, medical officers had closed their rooms in the emergency department, and the emergency ticket counter was also shut down, according to witnesses.
Outside the hospital, outdoor patients were seen gathering, hoping to receive treatment. With no doctors available, most patients were forced to leave the premises in search of care elsewhere.
Inspector Md Bachchu Miah, in-charge of the police camp at DMCH, confirmed that medical services at the emergency and other departments were suspended from 8:45am, causing immense suffering to patients in need of urgent care.
The incident that triggered the work stoppage occurred on Saturday afternoon when doctors were assaulted in the operating theater of DMCH following the death of a private university student. Some of the student's peers accused the physicians of neglecting their duties, leading to a violent altercation in which three doctors—Imran, Mashrafe, and Zubair, all from the neurosurgery department—were injured.
Dr Imran, one of the injured doctors, recounted that after the student from BUBT (Bangladesh University of Business and Technology) passed away during treatment, his peers forcibly entered the operation theater and attacked the doctors.
The assault continued from the neurosurgery ward to the hospital director's office. Dr Imran demanded that the hospital authorities ensure the doctors' safety, improve the work environment, and arrest those responsible within 24 hours based on CCTV footage, warning that the doctors would go on strike if their demands were not met.
Professor Shafiqul Islam, head of the neurosurgery department, condemned the attack as a "shameful incident." He revealed that discussions were held with the hospital director, doctors, the BUBT vice-chancellor, and students.
An inquiry committee will be formed to investigate the incident, and those responsible will be asked to file a case and ensure their arrest within 24 hours. Professor Islam also warned that if no action is taken, the doctors would go on an indefinite strike.
The hospital director, Brigadier General Asaduzzaman, described the incident as "very sad" and assured the doctors that their safety is his responsibility.
He announced that the army would be deployed in the emergency department for security and that an investigation committee would be established to review CCTV footage and take action against those responsible.
