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FRESh GOVT PLAN

Treatment for corona, general patients in same hospital


Published : 10 May 2020 10:57 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 07:54 PM

With a fresh plan the government has decided to provide treatment to both, patients suffering from coronavirus infection as well as general patients simultaneously in the same hospital.

Some 110 government & private hospitals and prominent health institutions are going to be added in the list of the existing hospitals for the better treatment of the patients, sources said.

Sources concerned said that the patients suffering from coronavirus will get treatment in these hospitals while at the same time other patients will also get medical services as usual.

It is also alleged that some private hospitals and clinics have shut down services fearing contamination. Many others refuse to allow seeing patients unless they could produce papers proving they are not infected with coronavirus. Sadly, there were a few incidents when patients had died seeking emergency treatment going from hospital to hospital.

In this regard, Professor Nazrul Islam, former Vice Chancellor of BSMMU and a member of National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19, told Bangladesh Post, “Many patients are not getting medical facilities without coronavirus negative certificate. Many hospital authorities seek corona test while admitting them in the hospital. So, as a result, many critical and emergency patients are suffering.”
“Therefore, the government is going to create separate zones for Covid-19 and general patients in public and private hospitals so that no patient is deprived of treatment,” he added.

Asked if the situation would become more risky due to such treatment arrangements in the same hospital, Professor Nazrul Islam said, “Some additional risk may arise, but in that case safety of the care givers – nurses, ward boy, lab technicians and of course, doctors, should be given highest priority.”

The Ministry of Health and Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) have received a number of complaints from patients and their relatives on not getting proper treatment. In this context, the government is going to take a fresh decision on better managing healthcare in hospitals.

About the new plan, the Director General of DGHS Professor Dr Abul Kalam Azad said, “Bangladeshi doctors in different countries, including the United States, have shared details on a new corona treatment procedure to DGHS. That is - each public and private hospital will be divided into three zones. The first one would be for Covid-19 patients, second one for general patients and the 3rd one will be primary zone.”

He said, “Corona suspected patients will be placed in the primary zone. If the specimen test result comes positive, the patient will be shifted to the covid -19 zone. And if test is negative, they will be admitted to the general section.”

Dr Abul Kalam said, “We have discussed the treatment method with the medical expert committee. They gave a positive opinion. However, it has not been finalized yet. We will take final decision in this issue within a day or two.”

Asked whether the risk of infection would increase further after the introduction of the system, he said that each hospital would have a separate zone. So the risk of infection will not increase.

Former DG of DGHS Professor MA Faiz, also member of the treatment protocol plan of DGHS, said, “There are 110 government and private medical colleges and hospitals engaged in the country's health management at present. There are also some big hospitals. These healthcare institutions have skilled manpower including health workers.”