Editorial
Callous disregard for human life
Those responsible at the DMCH must be brought to book
THE death of a poor farmer due to the utter negligence of the DMCH is representative of the general slide in the dutifulness of the public service providers in the country. The unfortunate man died, having waited, not one, or two, but six long agonizing hours, for medical attention, which he did not get. A doctor did see him at last, but half an hour after he had passed away -- to pronounce him dead. One wonders whether one could find a better example to illustrate the miserable conditions of our government hospitals. This is an act of criminal negligence.
The death brings to light several things about how badly the hospital is organised and staffed to attend to emergency patients. Most people that have had the misfortune to seek emergency medical aid at the DMCH have had to face different kinds of ordeals, but this is perhaps the first time that, even so long after arriving at the hospital, a patient could not get the urgent treatment.
The six-hour travail of the patient and his family members is too heart rending to be repeated, but only highlights the abject callousness of the hospital -- right from the attendant at the emergency ward up to those doctors and departments that they sought help from. It demonstrates the very inhuman part of our character that betrayed an utter disregard for human life -- as also absolute lack of professionalism of the staff.
There are several questions that we want the hospital authorities to reply to. Why was the patient asked to go to the OPD on arrival at the emergency ward at 6 in the morning, knowing fully well that the OPD does not open for another 2 hours, and told to go back to the emergency unit once they managed to reach the OPD attendants ? We would like the authorities to answer why his family members had to run around from one department to another pleading for treatment? Why nobody could discern the condition of the patient in an environment that is supposed to be swarming with doctors and would be doctors?
This is not the way to run a hospital, much less a premier government hospital. The director of the hospital has said that such an incident is not likely at the emergency unit. Now that such an incident has cost a man's life can we expect him to take the most stringent action against those responsible for the negligence, and inform the public accordingly? And can we also expect him to be more particular about the way his emergency unit functions?
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments