Denial of treatment: Bodies to act in dists, cities

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has formed a four-member committee in each divisional city and district to probe the allegations that hospitals and clinics are refusing to treat patients, and to take appropriate actions.

The divisional and district committees headed by the divisional director (health) and civil surgeon respectively have already started their activities, said a DGHS report submitted to the High Court on Wednesday.

The divisional committee members included an ICU expert, an anesthesia expert and a deputy director/assistant director-level official while the district committee has an anesthesiologist, Sadar upazila health officer and a medical officer, said the report.

The DGHS has also formed two monitoring teams to conduct an inquiry into the allegations of refusal to give treatment by the hospitals and clinics in Dhaka city. These teams have also started their activities.

Dr Md Aminul Hassan, director (hospitals and clinics) of the DGHS, sent the report on July 19 complying with an earlier order the High Court passed on July 6 after hearing five separate writ petitions filed in this regard.

Deputy attorney general Amit Talukder. on behalf of the DGHS, submitted the report to the court on Wednesday.

In the report, the DGHS said that they have opened an email account, [email protected], to receive complaints regarding denial of treatment in hospitals.

The government body has sent letters to the heads of government hospitals, private hospitals and clinics and nurses' association so that cancer and kidney dialysis patients can get priority for the Covid-19 tests and other treatments, the report said.

Following the writ petitions, the HC bench on July 6 directed the health secretary and director general of the DGHS to conduct an inquiry into the reported allegations against some private and government hospitals that they denied treatment to patients during the coronavirus pandemic.

They had been ordered to submit the inquiry report to the HC by July 21.

In the DGHS report, Dr Aminul sought time from the court for completing inquiry into the allegations against the hospitals and clinics.

As per the DGHS prayer, attorney general Mahbubey Alam who also represented the state, sought time from the HC to submit a complete compliance report according to its July 6 directives.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim granted the time and asked the government to submit the report by August 16.

During the hearing on Wednesday, the High Court observed that the authorities concerned should remain cautious so that private hospitals cannot go beyond control.

On July 6, the HC observed that if the private hospitals or clinics realise abnormally high charge for the treatment or intensive care unit (ICU) service, a patient could make a complaint to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The writ petitions were filed by Barrister Mahfuzur Rahman Milon, Barrister Aneeq R Haqaue, Advocate AM Jamiul Hoque, Barrister AKM Ehsanur Rahman and others recently.