The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has cancelled its previous health-related order that stated if any hospital in the country does not take proper measures in health services like primary treatment, emergency treatment or admission of any patient into hospital, the victim should inform the matter to the local army post or local police immediately.
The order had been signed by Rokeya Khatun, deputy secretary of the ministry and issued on Wednesday, Professor Dr. Iqbal Arsenal, President of Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (SWACHIP) told Bangladesh Post, “It was really painful, shameful as the ministry issued any such notice in the present situation despite our doctors providing healthcare with more risk than in any other country, and the whole world praises our doctors. It is a national as well as a global crisis. So, everyone should be sensible and respectful to each other to overcome the present situation.”
“The ministry issued the order even without any discussion with us. However, I thanked the government for withdrawing and cancelling the order in a short time after the matter was brought to its attention”, the SWACHIP president added. The ministry of health and family welfare cancelled the order on the same day by issuing another order also signed by Rokeya Khatun, deputy secretary of the ministry.
Dr. Mir Mobarrak Hossain, books and publication secretary of SWACHIP, also president of Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers’ Forum said, “It was really disrespectful to all doctors and the entire profession from the place of our responsibility as we are always working for people. We all are are highly educated and trained persons.”
“We condemn the previous order while also thanking the government for cancelling it,” he added. Dr. Sayemul Huda, Upazila health and family officer of Savar said, “We are not the opponents of patients. We are always ready to provide health service. So it was disgraceful for us. We are always beside the patients and we expect cooperation from all.”
Dr. Mir Mobarak Hossain said, “The pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19) is a totally new virus. We have no prior experience in this regard. So it’s natural to have fear, nevertheless, we are working for the people and we expect cooperation from all.”
“We did not say that we do not work without personal protection equipment (PPE). We know that around 6-8 thousand patients take treatment from Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH)every day, so nobody can say who has the virus. Already two doctors of the DMCHhave been with the virus. Doctors demanded to provide at least minimum protection equipment so that they can better serve the patients,” Mir Mobarak Hossain added.
