The burn and plastic surgery unit of Khulna Medical College Hospital has become practically inoperative as there is no Class III and IV employees for nursing patients when need arises.
Two victims of acid attack — Sonia and Halima of Khulna city — died in April this year while they were under treatment in the burn unit allegedly for lack of proper treatment and nursing.
Besides, Tariqul Islam who is in charge of
this unit seldom visits patients as he allegedly remains busy with his private practice outside the hospital.
The hospital superintendent, Paritosh Kumar Kundu, admitting to the tragic death of these two women, said it had become too difficult to run this unit for an acute crisis of both doctors and nurses.
At least 16 nurses, both male and female, are required to run this important unit of the hospital, he said.
This unit, since its opening, faced total absence of Class III and IV employees for nursing under treatment patients of fatal burn injuries.
He said that government had decided to open 14 burn and plastic surgery units in 23 state-owned hospitals of the country including KMCH.
This decision was made in a meeting held on February 18 this year in Dhaka head office of the directorate of health.
Accordingly, a twenty-bed burn unit was opened in March which started functioning with one professor, an associate professor, two assistant professors and one registrar.
But the unit was failing to function properly for absence Class III and IV employees, KMCH superintendent said.
When contacted, the in-charge of the burn unit, Tariqul Islam, denied the allegation saying that the burn unit lacked necessary facilities to provide proper medical treatment to the patients.
-With New Age input
