Private hospitals and clinics are springing up across Kushtia without regard for rules. Weak health-sector monitoring and the shelter of influential political leaders have been blamed for a series of deaths allegedly caused by improper treatment. At least 11 patients are alleged to have died at private hospitals and clinics in the district in the past five months. Although there are more than 200 such facilities in the district, only 14 reportedly have valid documents.
More than 200 diagnostic centres have reportedly sprung up across the six upazilas of Kushtia in the name of healthcare. None has valid documents, allowing them to ignore government rules and run profitable businesses. Eleven patients who went to such illegal diagnostic centres for treatment have died in the past five months.
Lotus Hospital, Lotus Eye Hospital and Lotus Diagnostic Centre have been established next to Kumarkhali Upazila Health Complex. The building’s stairs are extremely narrow and the lift cannot accommodate a patient’s trolley, so patients are carried in wheelchairs after sensitive procedures such as surgery. Although three doctors are required to be present at all times, locals allege that none is actually there. On August 7, a patient who underwent gallbladder surgery died at the hospital, allegedly because of a lack of doctors. The patient’s son said his mother was admitted on Friday morning and underwent surgery that afternoon.
When her condition later deteriorated, the hospital advised that she be taken quickly to Kushtia Sadar. She died before reaching the hospital. A patient also recently died during surgery at another eye hospital in Kushtia.
It has been alleged that Lotus Hospital co-owner Biswajit Biswas’s younger brother, Prosenjit Biswas, is a health-department employee and that his relationship with officials has allowed the illegal business to continue. The owner denied the allegations, saying the hospital was being run according to the rules and that money had been deposited and an application submitted to renew the licence. He said the patient had vomited and become ill at the hospital, was referred to Kushtia Sadar Hospital and died there. His brother Prosenjit claimed the patient had been admitted with breathing difficulties for two weeks and that the death was simply an accident.
Other clinics in the district are in a similar condition. Kumarkhali Eye Hospital is providing treatment with only a municipal trade licence. Although a registration number is displayed outside, owner Alimuzzaman Badr could not show any valid documents.
He said a licence application had been submitted and that a doctor named Mosabbir was treating general patients. He could not provide a satisfactory answer about the doctor’s degree or educational qualifications, raising further public suspicion.
Members of the local public expressed strong anger at the irregularities. Habib Chauhan of the Kumarkhali Anti-Corruption Committee said businesses were operating without licences or suitable conditions while ignoring government rules, causing people to be deceived regularly. He said healthcare should not be compromised.
Locals alleged that village quack doctors are sometimes used to perform risky surgeries at the hospitals, putting people’s lives at risk.
On April 28, a child died at Ekta Clinic in Kushtia. The death occurred while the child was being treated at Ekta Clinic and Diagnostic Centre, a private clinic in the Mollahtegharia area of Kushtia town, triggering intense dispute in the area.
Family members said the child had been taken to the clinic for treatment of a minor physical problem and doctors advised surgery. Relatives alleged that the operating theatre lacked adequate anaesthesia facilities. They said the child developed complications after being anaesthetised without adequate preparation and safety measures and then died.
A doctor was detained from Ekta Diagnostic Centre at the time and the centre was sealed.
Local residents said the incidents again exposed weaknesses in the quality, licensing and monitoring of private clinics. They demanded strict monitoring and regular inspections to protect patients.
Kushtia Civil Surgeon Dr SM Kamal acknowledged the poor state of private healthcare in the district.
He said there were more than 200 private clinics and hospitals in the district but only 14 had valid documents. He said recommendations and pressure from political leaders often put officials in an awkward position when they tried to act against irregularities. He said a senior local leader had recently visited his office with a recommendation. Despite political pressure, he said efforts to monitor facilities regularly and take legal action were continuing.
People remain angry about how these illegal facilities continue despite so many irregularities and deaths. Victims and residents demanded immediate investigation and strict legal action so that no other family has to suffer such hardship.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report