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Doctors postpone countrywide ‘shutdown’ till 8pm today

Ultimatum to arrest attackers of DMCH doctors,  Army, BGB deployed

Published : Monday, 2 September, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 235
Staff Correspondent
The protesting doctors on Sunday postponed their preannounced 'shutdown' programme until 8:00pm today, giving ultimatum to the government to arrest attackers on doctors at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) within 24 hours.

After assurance from Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum of taking stern action against the perpetrators, the protesters came up with the development and said they would provide only emergency services to patients until 8:00pm today (Monday), considering the humanitarian aspects.

Earlier at noon, they announced to abstain from providing services at all public and private hospitals including the district and upazila level clinics for the next seven days in protest against attack on three DMCH doctors occurred on Saturday evening.

The protesting doctors demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the accused who were involved in attacks on doctors. Their other demands included appointment of armed law and order enforcers to protect doctors in all hospitals across the country within 24 hours, appointment of health police under the Directorate General of Health Services within seven days, and reformation and implementation of the health protection law.

The doctors told a press briefing in front of the DMCH administration building in the evening, "Our shutdown programme will remain in force. However, within the next 24 hours, only emergency department services will be provided in each emergency department subject to security provided to each on-duty doctor by a law enforcement officer."

Apart from this, indoor and outdoor medical services will be suspended, said the doctors, adding that ICU and HDU services remained ongoing.

They said health services will go on like this for the next seven days. 

"We will suspend our movement only if health police and health protection law are formed within the next seven days," the doctors said. 

Following the attack on doctors, their fellows on Saturday evening gave 24-hour ultimatum to identify and punish the perpetrators.

But before the end of given timeframe to bring the perpetrators into book, doctors, nurses and staff began abstaining from duties from Sunday morning.

DMCH doctors said they stopped providing services at all units of the hospital except patients those who were admitted. After the announcement of complete shutdown at noon, Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum and DMCH Director Brig Gen Asaduzzaman met the protesting doctors.

Following the meeting, Nurjahan said the doctors withdrew the shutdown of services in hospitals after she assured them of proper action against attackers.

Coordinators Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam of the Anti-discriminatory Student Movement also attended the meeting.

They condemned the attack on doctors and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

In the meantime, BGB and Army personnel were deployed at the DMCH.

Meanwhile, Amir Hossain, a DMCH Office Assistant filed a case with Shahbagh Police Station over the attack on doctors, accusing four men and 50 unidentified people.

According to the case statement, a Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) teacher Shahrier Anrab was named as the prime accused.

The other named accused are Paljoy, Shihab Turja, and Saimi Naz Shayan, who identified them as BUBT students.

While visiting the hospital at noon, this correspondent found that services at emergency, outdoor and indoor departments remained suspended and all schedule operations since 9:30am were postponed, causing immense sufferings to the patients and their attendants.

Santosh Deb Nath, 55, had a road accident on Friday night in Mymensingh. He was brought to DMCH on Saturday and was going under treatment in ICU.

"My father is still unconscious. He is not receiving treatment from Saturday night. Doctors and nurses are not coming," Santosh's son Sagor Debnath told the Daily Observer at 2:00pm.

Mannan Sharif, 70, was brought to DMCH in the morning by her daughter Shilpi Akhter from Madaripur.

Shilpi said, "My father has respiratory complications. He was scheduled to undergo a throat operation today (Sunday)."

"They (doctors and nurses) are not visiting patients. Punish those who were criminals. Why are we suffering? Why are they punishing us for others? They are not providing treatment. We are common people. We did not commit any crime," Shilpi said.

She said, "We don't know when the emergency department will reopen. We came there from home. We don't know where we'll stay and what we'll eat. My father would get treatment if we could get him admitted in the morning."

Mojnu Mia who brought his son Mosharaf Hossain to the hospital from Daudkandi, Cumilla, said, "My son broke his leg on the last Eid day. He had an operation at that time. I have brought him today for next visit."

"My neighbours gave me money by raising funds and sent us there for my son's better treatment. If I go back to my village, how would I get money to come to Dhaka again?" asked Mojnu Mia.

At around 2:30pm in front of the DMCH Emergency Department, this correspondent found Md Idris, 65, on stretcher and he was surrounded by his relatives. Talking to this correspondent, they said that they came from Shahidnagar in Old Town in Dhaka.

The hopeless relatives were wondering when emergency services would resume. 

Talking to this correspondent at DMCH, Dr Afrin Tabassum said, "If anyone feels aggrieved by our service, we would request him or her to follow due process and lodge written complaints with the authorities."

"Attacking on doctors creates fear among us. How would we protect lives if our lives are not safe? We are not abstaining from service out of happiness. We just demand our safety," Dr Afrin said. 

Inspector Md Bachchu Miah, In-Charge of the police camp at DMCH, said the medical service of emergency and other departments was suspended since 8:45am.

This has caused immense sufferings to the patients in need of urgent care, he said.



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