Goodwill bounded by limitations

Never has the burn and plastic surgery unit of Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) faced the rush of so many patients with burn injuries at the same time. Such was the scene after the deadly explosion at Sitakunda BM Depot -- an incident that not only exposed the fault lines in the country's factory management procedures yet again but also the limitations of the hospitals in Chattogram.

The city has no burn ICUs to treat critically injured patients. On top of that, Chattogram's public hospitals lack adequate equipment and facilities for state-of-art treatment for patients suffering from optical issues.

As a result, 16 patients have already been shifted to Dhaka. Another was scheduled to be moved as of filing this report.

CMCH sources said 100 patients injured in the Sitakunda blast have been receiving treatment at CMCH, while 16 others were being treated at different hospitals of the port city.

Doctors in CMCH said around 50 patients have optical injuries. However, they could not be treated at CMCH due to a lack of facilities.

During his visit to the hospital on Tuesday, Prof Dwin Mohammad, former director-general of National Eye Science Institute, said he attended to 63 patients and most of them had optical injuries.

"Six such patients with major optical injuries should be immediately shifted to Dhaka for proper treatment. However, many of them sustained burn injuries in other parts of the body and could not be moved immediately," he said while talking to journalists.

While visiting CMCH on Monday, Prof Samanta Lal Sen, director of Sheikh Hasina National Burn Institute, also emphasised establishing an ICU for burn injuries in the port city.

Asked about the difference between a usual ICU and a burn ICU, he said infection control is the first goal for treating patients with burn injuries, along with ensuring other facilities. "These can only be ensured in a burn ICU, not a usual one."

Then comes the space-related crisis in the hospitals.

"My ward can cater to 60 patients at best. Yet on Saturday night, just after the accident, we already had 59 patients. Many more were yet to come," said Dr Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, associate professor and head of the burn and plastic surgery ward of CMCH.

CMCH is also understaffed and lacks human resources to manage a crisis of this magnitude. This posed a greater problem than ever, which could only be worked around by the goodwill of the doctors and nurses on duty.

"My colleagues from other departments, director of the hospital and principal of CMC extended their help at this crucial time… CMC Principal Prof Shahena Akter, also a professor of the gynaecology department, helped us by evacuating their ward to accommodate patients from the explosion site, while CMCH director Brig Gen Shamim Ahsan authorised the operation of the central pharmacy all night long and provided all medicines that we needed for treatment," said Dr Rafiq.

"All the doctors, intern doctors and nurses gave their best effort to save as many lives as possible," he added.