Hospital not fit for healthcare

Observes HRC chairman after visit to DMCH
The Dhaka Medical College Hospital now remains a neglected centre for the treatment of the lower middle-class and poor sections only, observed National Human Rights Commission Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman.
“When I compare the present state of the hospital with that of 30 years back, it hurts me,” NHRC chairman told The Daily Star yesterday after a two-hour visit to the largest hospital in the country.
Once the DMCH was the only hospital where patients used to come for better treatment. It was dirt-free and the doctors were very caring to the patients. All those days are long past now, he lamented.
Starting from around 10:30am, Prof Mizanur Rahman, along with another honorary NHRC Commissioner Fauzia Karim, visited several wards and units, including the emergency, radiology, imaging, outdoor and causality units.
The team noticed that patients were receiving treatment lying on corridors and floors. Its staff neglect their duties of serving the patients.
Relatives were moving an elderly patient, who was too weak to walk, for an X-ray holding his arms.
Asked why they were not using a trolley or wheel chair, they replied that they were unaware of the service.
Attendants of a patient at the ‘Model Ward’ did not find any trolley or wheel chair to shift the patient.
“When I inquired a staff about this, he replied that the patient did not ask for it,” added the NHRC chief.
The team wondered if the scenario of a model ward appears like this, what might be the condition of other wards.
A tendency of shifting responsibility on each other among the junior doctors, ward boys, nurses and other staffs was also evident.
Prof Mizanur observed that there are limitations of space and other logistics, but a better service can still be offered to the patients, once a good management is ensured.
Patients complained about the rare ward visit by the senior professors. They also lamented the poor quality of food served to them during lunch and dinner.
The team saw the child ward and emergency section serving better.
“The child ward is better managed although I found three children sharing a single bed and the emergency unit is much cleaner than before,” added NHRC chief.
About the medicine service, he said the names of medicines are printed in English and there is no instruction about which medicine is available for free or which has to be bought from outside.
Admitting all the limitations, DMCH director assured the visiting team of trying hard to improve the service.
The concerned government departments should closely monitor the present state of the hospital and take steps accordingly, suggested Prof Mizanur, adding “The authorities must ensure that common people are not deprived of good treatment.”
The NHRC will forward a set of concrete recommendations to the health ministry for resolving the prevailing crises at the hospital.

Courtesy of The Daily Star