Patients suffer as docs at odds
Healthcare services at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University were disrupted after two groups of doctors had scuffled on the hospital premises yesterday.
The scuffles between the supporters of BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Kamrul Hasan Khan and Proctor Prof Habibur Rahman Dulal and the supporters of Pro-VC (Academic) Prof ASM Zakaria Swapan panicked patients, mostly of the outdoor section.
The VC allegedly assaulted the pro-VC on Thursday after a Bangla daily ran a report hinting at corruption in the recruitment process of nurses.
Yesterday morning, more than 50 doctors from both sides took position and brought out processions on Battala Chattar and in front of the basic science building on BSMMU campus. They were involved in scattered brawls on campus.
Sensing trouble, many patients and their family members left the outdoor section of the hospital. Services at the diagnostic and surgery departments were also hampered, several doctors and officials at the BSMMU told The Daily Star.
Sources said the VC's supporters brought out the procession on campus around 9:00am, prompting a counter procession by the supporters of the pro-VC.
Those who joined the processions did not see patients and were not in their chambers at the outdoor section from 8:30am.
Talking to The Daily Star, a patient's attendant said the doctor who was supposed to see his ailing wife did not see her on time.
“Some junior doctors came in and they told me to discuss my wife's problem with the doctor when he comes,” said the man from Gopalganj.
VC DENIES DISRUPTION OF HEALTHCARE
At an emergency press briefing at his office around 2:30pm, VC Prof Kamrul claimed that healthcare services were not disrupted at the hospital yesterday.
“Patients got services as usual. A total of 4,155 patients took services at the outdoor section before 2:30pm,” he said, adding that the number of patients in winter usually remains lower than that of the summer.
Talking to The Daily Star, several outdoor section staff, however, said around 4,500 to 5,000 patients have treatment at the hospital every day but the number was fewer yesterday.
Replying to reporters' queries on the alleged corruption in the nurse's recruitment process, the VC said the allegation was raised 20 days after the written examinations for the recruitment.
“The nurses are being recruited as per the rules of the university. There was no deviation from due procedure,” he said.
He denied assaulting the pro-VC and said the conflict which was being termed “VC versus pro-VC” was unexpected.
However, in a press statement issued later in the night, the pro-VC again said he was indeed assaulted by the VC on Thursday.
“The VC pushed me and pressed me against a wall at a meeting at his conference room where the proctor of the university also verbally abused me,” Prof ASM Zakaria Swapan had said earlier.
The VC said, “I will sit with the university's senior teachers to discuss the issue tomorrow [today]”. He said he would also sit with Health Minister Mohammed Nasim soon.
Before the emergency briefing, the VC held a meeting with the deans committee at the room of pro-VC (administration).
At the meeting, Prof Iqbal Arsnal, president of Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip) and also a dean at the university, told the VC that they were in the dark about the recruitment of nurses, sources said.
Prof Iqbal also criticised the university administration for failing to solve the problem and bringing in “outsiders to handle the situation”.
According to the report of the Bangla daily, 76 of the candidates who passed the written test got over 80 percent marks and all of them were from Tangail. Twenty-three of them were from Ghatail upazila of the district, which is also the upazila the VC is from.
The candidates who passed are going through viva-voce test. On Wednesday, 80 selected candidates appeared before the viva boards.
The controversy ensued on January 4 when the university authorities formed a 10-member selection committee, led by the VC, for the nurses' recruitment, according to the report of the Bangla daily.
The results of the written examinations were posted on the university's website on January 2.
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