Hello,
I was speechless knowing the incident happened to Dr. Newaz Rahim, Associate Professor, Department of EEE, BUET. He is one of the most modest, simple and gentle man I've ever met. He was my undergrad thesis advisor. I've never seen him angry or even speak loudly with any one for any reason. I could not even imagine how this so called doctors and nurses could hit him physically. We should raise our voice against this incident.
Regards
Shahnoor Habib Munmun
A Petition to Health Ministry and D.M.C. Authority of Bangladesh
- Dr. Newaz Rahim, Associate Professor, Department of EEE, BUET
I am an Associate Professor in the Department of EEE in BUET and I reside in the BUET Teachers' Quarter very adjacent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Last Tuesday (January 12, 2010) I got admitted my niece there when her labor pain started at around 7:00 P.M. She was shifted to ward no 17, the child care unit of DMC. She was under observation till 12:00 P.M. when the doctor on duty told my wife that the patient is normal and she will supposedly deliver normally. I had no other relatives with me by that time to help her and I had a 10 month child that I had to look after. I came back from the hospital at 11:00 P.M. for my child to make him sleep. At 12:00 PM my wife was told by the doctors to bring some medicine and kits from outside for Cesarean operation and my wife complied with the request.
At around 1:00 AM my niece was taken to the delivery room allowing my wife to accompany her. By that time several doctors, nurses and two buas were present inside the room. After some time had passed away my niece was shouting in pain and my wife requested the nurses and doctors to see her patient, my niece. But they did not pay hid to that and remained seated inside the room saying the baby will born in the morning. Finding no other way my wife went to the other room and requested a doctor to come. The doctor came and saw the patient and found the baby partially exposed up to the nose. Then the doctor cried out to other doctors and nurses by saying what they are doing, and requested them to help her. They came forward for help and my niece gave birth to a child which was declared dead afterwards.
My wife called me at 2:00 (January 13, 2010) AM at night saying the baby is died; I hurriedly went to the hospital and asked the doctor how the baby is dead. They replied me that the baby was dead inside the womb from 8 PM. I found the baby wrapped with clothes on the floor with another baby which might be delivered beforehand. I was afraid of touching the baby. My wife told me that the body of the baby was still soft. I did not say anything to the doctors and inquired how the baby and the mother can be released from the hospital and when. The doctors told me that the mother may be released at 10 AM in the morning. I wanted the death certificate for the baby but they did not find me a way to get a death certificate. I told my nephew to wait till morning and went to Azimpur Graveyard at 3:00 AM taking him with me where we found that it will operate from 6:00 AM. I came back home and my nephew went to hospital again. I told him to wait in the Hospital till 7:00 AM. At 6:45 AM my nephew called me from hospital saying, nurses are pressing him to take away the child from the hospital. I hurriedly went there and told the nurse to issue a death certificate for the baby. She said that they need a doctor. After half an hour we are given a death certificate where the cause of the death of the child was written as cardio-respiratory failure. My wife went home for rest. I and my nephew went to the Azimpur graveyard taking the child with us and buried him there at around 9:15 A.M. in the morning.
My wife and I went to the hospital again to release my niece at 11:00 AM. But the patient's condition was deteriorated and was under treatment. The doctor said that the patient may need blood and we went for blood and found blood. But the person there recorded the patient's name and asked to collect it when needed. We waited there till 2:30 PM and came back. We sent our home servant to hospital to stay with my niece.
My wife again went to the hospital at 6:00 PM. After sometime the nurse pressed her to shift the patient to ward no 18. She did not know when the patient was referred to ward no. 18. My wife asked in which bed in ward no 18 the patient will be shifted. They replied that it was not their headache whether the patient will stay in bed or floor there. My wife became angry and told the nurse that it was the duty of the nurse to shift the patient from ward number 17 to 18. She can only help the nurse in doing that. The nurses shouted and the place became boisterous. A doctor came and told my wife that why she brought the patient to DMC, why did not she take her to a clinic? My wife replied that this hospital runs on common people's tax and she has every right to come to DMC and you are not delivering your duty having paid from common people's money. The situation became calm again and my nephew heard the other doctor saying why you are behaving like this with the patient. The baby is dead for your negligence. My wife came back home. At around 10:15 PM our servant telephoned my wife saying they are telling her to shift the patient to ward no 18. We again went to the hospital at 10:30 PM keeping our 10 month baby to our daughters' custody. When we went to ward no 17 the nurse told us to shift the patient to ward no 18. I wanted to know when it was instructed to shift the patient. The nurse said that at 10:00 PM a doctor came and had written the advice on patient's history (record file). I saw the file and found the advice. Then I told the nurse that I wanted to go to ward number 18 to see whether any bed were available there, if not I will try to manage a cabin inside the hospital.
We went out of the room. In the corridor a bua working in the ward pressed me to shift my patient to ward 18. I told her who she is to say us like this. Then she hurled abusive word to me (Fajil Beta). My wife infuriated and slapped her. Then other females of her kind appeared there and exchanged words. I was told by a nurse that if we have something to say or have complaint we can talk to the ward in charge (Probably called C.A.). We went to him and he said, "As the patient is referred to ward no. 18, they have no responsibility to her and can do nothing. A patient (after delivery) is kept in ward no. 17 for 24 hours and is then shifted to other wards according to patient's condition. And that you cannot altercate with any nurse or bua in my ward, if they do anything wrong you can complain and I will take action accordingly." When we were going out of the room the bua pushed my wife from behind and was displaying shoes and saying something. My wife then tried to went toward her but other person inside the room grabbed her. Then my wife asked the officer (later we could know that he is a doctor) to take action against the bua, but he do nothing. At this stage my wife hurled her shoe to the officer. The situation was totally beyond my control and imagination. I begged forgiveness to the officer (doctor) for what happened and we again went out of the room to the corridor.
When we were in the corridor, the doctor came out from inside and grabbed my shoulder (collar) from behind and dragged me inside the room. I could do nothing as I was out of balance. He then threw me on the floor. Something was hit on my left shoulder and was broken. I tried to recover and stood and could see nothing for a few moments. The doctor ran away quickly from the scene and the other hospital staff encircled me and told that we cannot leave without making any settlement. The police and a person from intelligence came, asked me what happened and became aware of the situation. I was told by a police officer in charge of police camp inside the hospital that they want me to beg forgiveness to them, otherwise they will hand me over to police. I told the officer that I did not do any wrong. He replied that you can do nothing from inside the hospital; we are here for the security of the hospital. If you want to sue you have to do from any police station. The officer contacted the police station but nobody came in an hour. He brought us inside the police camp there. After sometime he went again to the ward and came back and told us that the doctors and the staff wants that we beg forgiveness to them and to bring my patient with us. It was 12 P.M. by then, thinking of my child, I agreed.
We, along with the police officer, went to ward 17, where all the doctors were gathered in a row in the C.A.'s (probably C.O. or C.A.) room. I begged apology for what had happened from our part and told them that I will take my patient next morning to my home. In addition, I told that, I brought my patient from Narayangonj to DMC for better treatment and what followed is the death of the child. If I would give my identity beforehand this could not be happened. One doctor told why I did not take my patient to Apollo Hospital. I replied that if it was my case I would certainly take my wife to Apollo, but it was my niece who cannot afford to go there and public hospital is the place where she can only go as his husband is an electrician in a garments factory.
The patient was released next day (January 14, 2010) at around 2 P.M. My nephew brought her wife to my home. During the release of the patient the hospital authority took away some of the documents like, patients entrance ticket from outdoor and emergency ward, and the patient's history while she was inside the ward no. 17.
The patient's name is Irene and his husband's name is Mizan. They are around 22 to 23 years old.
In the afternoon of January 14, (Thursday) I felt severe pain in my left back and left chest. I was thinking of taking X-ray. On Saturday morning, I went to BUET Medical center where I took the X-ray. It was found that a rib in my chest is broken. I also felt acute pain in my left back. I could not sleep for two days resting on my back. I tried to sleep resting on my right arm.
After seeing the report the doctor of the medical center asked me to see an orthopedics, I went to the P.G. hospital and talked with a doctor. He confirmed about the break of bone. He advised me something for recovering the fracture and referred some medicine.
I beg the hospital authority to investigate into the matter and take administrative action if the respective doctor is found guilty for my ill fate. I also request the authority to ensure that the doctors and nurses do their duty properly and reduce the suffering of poor people.
