After two days of limited operations, full-scale medical services resumed at all hospitals across the country on Wednesday.
Dr Abdul Ahad, the Resident Surgeon of the Neurosurgery Department at DMCH and a representative of the protesting doctors, confirmed the matter.
Abdul Ahad said, “As previously announced, full-scale medical services have resumed at DMCH and all hospitals across the country from this morning (Wednesday). Most places have deployed members of the military and law enforcement agencies. Although their numbers are somewhat lower in district and sub-district level hospitals, we have been assured that this will gradually increase.”
The doctors initiated their work stoppage on September 1 after incidents of vandalism and assaults on medical staff in the emergency department of DMCH.
During the visit to DMCH, it was found that the emergency department was crowded with patients on Wednesday morning.
DMCH director Brigadier General Asaduzzaman Khan said that the emergency and outpatient departments are now fully operational due to enhanced security.
Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital also resumed full-scale medical services on the day.
Harunur Rashid, Director of Suhrawardy Hospital, said, “All departments are now fully operational based on security considerations.”
He said they have received 25 police personnel, but they demand 40 to strengthen security further.
On August 31, a patient died at DMCH, after which agitated relatives alleged negligence on the part of the doctors and assaulted three of them on the hospital premises, prompting the doctors to call a strike.
The doctors demanded justice for the attack and security of their workplaces. Due to the shutdown, hundreds of critical patients suffered due to lack of treatment. On September 1, the doctors withdrew their complete shutdown and medical services resumed on a limited scale upon assurances from the health adviser to the interim government of security and arrest of the individuals who manhandled the doctors.
Subsequently, two arrests were made, and security was beefed up.
