Hard to tell doctors from brokers at DMCH: ACC chairman
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman AKM Asaduzzaman said as doctors in the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) do not have a dress code, it is difficult to distinguish who is a doctor, who is a nurse, and who is a broker.
He made these remarks during a sudden inspection at DMCH on Thursday afternoon. Upon finding doctors absent in several rooms, he instructed that show-cause notices be issued to those.
During the inspection, Asaduzzaman witnessed scenes of patients and their relatives in the emergency department of the hospital, the absence of doctors, and various irregularities in the environment. At this time, he also expressed dissatisfaction regarding doctors not having prescribed attire and the inability to identify their identity.
He added, “Patients coming here always have allegations that they do not get proper treatment, doctors are not present. The prime minister is also concerned about this issue. For that reason, he has inspected several hospitals, including Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. Today we have come to DMCH. Next, we will go to other hospitals as well.
“Upon coming to DMCH, I did not find doctors in several rooms of the emergency department. None of the other duty doctors in the emergency department have proper dress-up. It is difficult to understand whether they are doctors, nurses, or brokers. Because of this, I cannot identify the doctors. Pictures of several irregularities, including a dirty environment in the treatment rooms, have been found. Action will be taken against these.”
Asaduzzaman said he asked the hospital director to show-cause the absent doctors. Alongside this, the ACC will also take legal action.
In response to questions from journalists regarding the rampage of brokers in government hospitals and allegations of doctors being directly involved in brokering, he added, “We will go into action against them as well. This is a business of private hospitals. The government will take measures to stop this. This does not fall under our jurisdiction.”
DMCH Director Brig Gen AKM Farhad Hossain noted that he had recently joined the hospital. After taking charge, he was able to make some changes. Steps will be taken to resolve the issues raised by the ACC Chairman.
During the inspection led by the ACC Chairman, Commissioner Jahangir Alam Khan, Commissioner Sazzad Hossain Bhuiyan, Secretary Saidur Rahman Khan, and officials from the Special Division, Intelligence, and Enforcement Unit were present.
