The strike enforced by doctors in Khulna district hospitals – protesting the attack on a fellow physician, allegedly by a police officer and others – has been postponed for a week. After a meeting with Khulna City Corporation Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque, Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), Khulna unit withdrew the strike for a week on condition, saying they would go for strike again if offenders are not arrested, and a case filed against the physician is not withdrawn within the stipulated time.
Healthcare services came to a grinding halt at all government and private hospitals, except for emergency care, in the Khulna city due to the strike, causing immense suffering to patients and others in the last four days. Patients says the appointments with specialist physicians, who come from Dhaka and practise privately at clinics, were also cancelled due to the strike as the physicians expressed solidarity with the protesters, according to media reports.
The government will have to take
all possible measures to ensure a
safe environment for the physicians
at hospitals across the country
On February 25, Dr Sheikh Nishat Abdullah, head of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Department of Shaheed Sheikh Abu Naser Specialised Hospital, was allegedly physically assaulted, by a patient’s relatives, including Assistant Sub-Inspector Naim, at a nursing home in Sheikhpara of Khulna city during surgery. Protesting the attack, the BMA Khulna unit went on indefinite work abstention from Wednesday and continued till Saturday morning.
Protesting doctors say that they would not join work until those involved in attacking Dr Sheikh Nishat are arrested. Patients who came from different parts of the district failed to get medical services due to the work abstention.
Following the incident a high-level delegation of the Directorate General of Health Services went to Khulna to discuss the withdrawal of the strike. But the delegation’s efforts went in vain till Saturday morning as the physicians vowed to continue the strike as long as the ASI is not arrested, and a case filed against the physician is not withdrawn.
Considering the situation, the authorities concerned will have to take necessary steps to fix the issue as soon as possible so that the doctors do not resume their strike again after one week. The government will have to take all possible measures to ensure a safe environment for the physicians at hospitals across the country.