On May 24, the Health Services Division ordered hospital authorities to recast all hospitals, public and private, separating covid and non-covid units to ensure treatment for everyone
 

Some hospitals in the country continue to deny treatment to patients, even though the government has repeatedly instructed them to ensure all types of medical services for patients during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On May 24, the Health Services Division ordered hospital authorities to recast all hospitals, public and private, separating covid and non-covid units to ensure treatment for everyone.

However, many patients have complained that they are denied treatment for diseases other than Covid-19 even after visiting several hospitals, if they have symptoms such as cold, fever, or cough.

Hospital authorities claim various crises including shortages of manpower, beds, and other facilities are hampering their ability to provide services. The situation is the same in both government and private hospitals.

The government has warned that private hospitals and clinics risk getting their licenses revoked if they refuse to provide treatment to patients. However, public health experts have said that only directions and warnings are not enough.

Specific guidelines and coordination between government, non-government, and other subordinate medical wings are needed, as well as a means to ensure accountability.

Patients are the victims of the lack of coordination and accountability, and there are cases where people have died after being refused treatment until it was too late, they also said.

Israt Jahan was a student of accounting at Kabi Nazrul University College, one of seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University. She lived in Sonargaon, Narayanganj, and died after visiting two hospitals and not being admitted to an ICU. She had been suffering from shortness of breath.

Israt gave birth to a baby girl at Matuail Shishu Matrisadan Hospital on June 6. She was discharged from the hospital on June 11.

The following day, after returning to her home in Soargaon, she started suffering from breathing problems. Her relatives rushed her back to Matuail Shishu Matrisadan Hospital, but the hospital did not admit her claiming they did not have any room in the ICU.

Israt was then sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), but could not gain admittance there as they also did not have an available ICU bed. She died in an ambulance on the way to a private hospital around 3pm on June 12.

In another incident, an Awami League leader from Chittagong was rushed to a hospital with severe chest pain but denied admittance, and eventually died in his car. The deceased was Shafiul Alam Chagir, general secretary of Bayazid Thana Awami League.

Similar incidents of patients being denied treatment at hospitals have been reported in the media a number of times since the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in the country.

Private Medical College and Hospital Owners Association President Mobin Khan said: “Warnings or issued directions alone cannot be a solution. We need to consider reality. So far, more than 30 doctors have died from Covid-19 in the country. The hospital authorities first need to ensure that patients are tested for coronavirus and then they can provide treatment as per the hospital’s ability and facilities.

“Most of the hospitals are already filled with patients. There are no empty beds. So, the hospital authorities are facing two problems: A lack of manpower and facilities, and they only want to admit patients after testing for coronavirus because their staff members were infected by patients who were hiding their history,” he added.

“We will not deny that one or two incidents [of patients being denied treatment] have happened, but it is not true that it happens frequently,” Mobin Khan continued.