Amnesty concerned as treatment denied to people with Covid-19 symptoms

Amnesty International has expressed concern about media reports on hospitals in Bangladesh not admitting people exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms.

The organisation's own investigations also found hospitals refusing to admit people with the virus symptoms despite having the capacity to diagnose and treat them, it claimed in a statement issued yesterday.

For the investigation, medical staff at 12 hospitals were interviewed and it was learned that "persons were turned away because hospital staff feared being exposed to potential Covid-19 cases," Amnesty said, calling upon authorities to investigate the allegations of people being denied treatment.

It noted that the country's health infrastructure is poor which puts medical professionals at risk, and urged authorities to provide healthcare workers with the necessary protective gear to do their job.

"The shortage of necessary medical equipment has not only made the frontline health workers' job difficult, it in fact puts them at the greatest risk of being exposed to Covid-19. Doctors and hospital representatives across the country have already been complaining about the lack of testing equipment, and PPE. This is especially poignant when physicians themselves succumb to the disease owing to a lack of critical care," said the Amnesty statement.

It also decried the government's "repression of freedom of expression" and criticised the arrests made under the Digital Security Act during the lockdown.

"The Bangladesh government, instead of fostering and facilitating access to information, has been clamping down on the press, especially the online media, in the pretext of stopping the spread of rumours," it said, adding that more than 30 people have been arrested for questioning the government's preparedness, and "corruption and irregularities" of ruling party leaders in handling the Covid-19 crisis.

The organisation alleged that it is still not clear how cash transfers to the poor, economic and agricultural stimulus packages, cash incentives for informal workers and health insurance and bonus payments for medical professionals are going to be implemented.

It also observed that "there is no incentive in any of the government stimulus packages specifically targeting" people aged 60 and above.

It further said that the government's ban on internet in the Rohingya refugee camps "is hindering health workers' ability to relay critical public health information in real time, and restricting refugees' access to relevant information."

"Under international human rights law, states have an obligation to protect and fulfil people's right to social security," said the report, adding that Bangladesh is obligated to do this because it is party to the UN's International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.