Protests, sit-ins turn healthcare services a fiasco (Part-2)

Hospitals across the country are dealing with significant staff shortages as doctors and healthcare workers affiliated with the Awami League avoid work due to security concern following the party’s fall from power.

Since the fall of Awami League government, various sectors of the country including the health sector are in disastrous situation. The crisis has arisen due to various reasons including instability, absent of doctors and staff members.

Views Bangladesh has prepared a series of three-part report on the crisis in this sector.

The second part is being published on Tuesday.
In this part, various aspects of the disaster caused by the absence of pro-Awami doctors and health workers at work have been highlighted.

Health sector dealing with shortage of doctors, staffs

In Bangladesh most of the people depend on government hospitals to get treatment at low cost. Thousands of patients are admitted every day to get treatment especially in district hospitals.

Apart from this, treatment is also provided on a nominal basis in private and government medical college hospitals. Therefore, these government institutions are the big 'shelter' for patients.

However, after the fall of ex PM Sheikh Hasina and Awami League on August 5, instabilities has started in these hospitals.

Shortage of doctors and staffs are everywhere.

Views Bangladesh learnt that since the fall of the previous government, a large number of pro-Awami doctors isn’t coming to work.

The outdoor activities of many hospitals are running with half manpower.

I20 days have passed since the formation of the interim government yet the presence of doctors has not increased anywhere.

The daily attendance information of the doctors are usually available in a real-time dashboard of the health department.

However, Views Bangladesh learnt that the exact number of absent doctors or updated information isn’t available. According to the reports of various government hospitals, more than 30-35 percent of doctors are absent from work.

Medical services are being provided with half the manpower in many departments of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. A doctor at the hospital informed that, “There is some problem because the local doctors aren’t coming.” Many doctors including professors, associate professors aren’t coming to the hospital.

At present, about 30 to 40 percent of doctors are absent.

Another doctor said, pro-Awami doctors are not coming to work for fear of attack by the opposition. There is a shortage of doctors in all the departments of the hospital. After the formation of the interim government, the situation was supposed to be normalize, but it hasn’t changed much.

National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases is the country’s only specialized hospital for the treatment of heart disease.

The presence of doctors in some units of the hospital is also found less.. This has increased the pressure on other doctors. Many of the hospital’s pro-Awami doctors are still absent. Same scenario can be seen at National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR). Many pro-Awami doctors and staffs are also absent here.

After visiting vrious departments of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Views Bangladesh found out that even here too there is shortage of doctors and staffs. A doctor of the hospital informed that the chaos which sparked in the first few days since the fall of Awami League government has now passed. However, many pro Awami doctors and employees did not join work till now.

A pro-Awami official who is absent from work informed Views Bangladesh that due to security concerns he isn’t going to work. He will return to work when the situation normalizes.

Same situation outside Dhaka

Views Bangladesh found out that he condition of hospitals outside Dhaka is also similar. Most of the doctors-employees who have been absent since August 5 have not yet joined work.

Since the downfall of previous government, many pro-Awami doctors, nurses and officials have been absent at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH). This is disrupting the regular medical services of the hospital.

A doctor named Abdul Ahad informed that the number of patients in the hospital has decreased slightly compared to normal days. Before 1200 to 1400 patients were admitted in a single day whereas nowadays 800 to 900 patients are being admitted. As a result the pressure is slightly less.

As soon as Awami government fell, there was chaos and unrest at the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital. Medical services and administrative activities were disrupted. Miscreants vandalized the rooms of the director, deputy director and other high-ranking officials in this hospital.

Besides, Bangabandhu corner of the hospital was also vandalized. Since then many doctors and officials are not going to the hospital due to security concerns.

Link to the first episode-https://viewsbangladesh.com/en/protests-sitins-turn-healthcare-services-a-fiasco/