Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital
NHRC chief finds it in bad shape, blames docs
National Human Rights Commission Chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman visits Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital yesterday, only to witness awfully poor medical service amid unhygienic atmosphere in different wards of the 250-bed hospital. Photo: STAR
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman yesterday expressed his dissatisfaction at poor heathcare services at Cox's Bazar 250-bed Sadar Hospital and performances of the doctors. During his visit to the hospital at around 9:30am yesterday, Dr. Mizan said, he first entered the 'blood bank' and found that a single needle was being used to collect blood from several people. Later, he went to the emergency unit, observation room, male wards, children's ward and kitchen where the floors looked dirty, emitting a bad smell. When the NHRC chief arrived at the children's ward on the second floor of the hospital, Kulsuma, mother of a child patient, alleged that her son was not getting proper treatment. “I have to buy food and medicines for my son from outside as the hospital authorities are not supplying those, she said.” He noticed that at least 72 children were taking treatments in a 30-seat ward and many of them were lying on the dirty floor. Even oxygen was being given to five children from a cylinder by setting five separate pipes. Most of patients were seen using their own bed sheets and pillow covers as those supplied by the hospital were not usable. A few patients told the NHRC chairman that most of the time the doctors remain absent as all of them are involved with hospital or clinic business. When Dr Mizan asked Civil Surgeon Dr Kajol Kanti Barua about the poor state of the hospital, Barua said it was not his duty to monitor the hospital and walked away. While talking to local journalists, the NHRC chief said on his return to Dhaka, he will advise the health minister to take action against the doctors as they are not discharging their duties properly. He also vented his frustration at the overall situation at the hospital and said the doctors were more involved with their private clinics than with the hospital. He also expressed his concern over the unhygienic atmosphere prevailing in the kitchen, toilets and the children's ward of the hospital. When asked about the allegations, Dr Mahbubur Rahman, superintendent of the hospital, said he (Dr Mizanur) is an honourable man. There could be many problems in a hospital but he should not openly react and blame all the doctors. Additional District Magistrate Abdur Rouf, Assistant Police Superintendent Tofail Ahmed, and Civil Surgeon Kajol Kanti Barua accompanied the NHRC chairman during the visit.
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