The High Court today directed the health secretary to collect Tk 5 lakh as compensation from four former and current officials of National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH) for their negligence in preserving and protecting hospital equipment, including intensive care unit ventilators.

The four are AMM Shariful Alam, a director and project director between May 3, 2007 and February 8, 2009; Professor Mollah Obaidullah Baki, a professor between August 16, 2009 and May 19, 2013; Prof Md Moarraf Hossain, a director and project director between December 31, 2014 and June 6, 2019; and Prof Manosh Kumar Bashu, who has been the chief of the anesthesia department since February 7, 2015.

Delivering the verdict on a suo moto (voluntary) rule, the HC ordered three officials of health ministry (service department), directorate general of health services and Cancer and Research Institute to inquire whether Moarraf Hossain had sent letters to the chief technical managers of National Electro-Medical Equipment Maintenance (Nememw) and TC in order to activate the ventilators in question.

If the inquiry committee finds that Moarraf Hossain's claims of sending letters to activate the ventilators is not true, Tk 5 lakh will have to be collected from Moarraf Hossain, the HC said.  

If it is proved in the probe that the officials concerned of the Nememw and TC had concealed the issue of Moarraf Hossain's letters, Tk 5 lakh will have to be collected from each of its (Nememw and TC) officials Md Abdul Kaiyum (joint secretary, now retired) and Md Rezanur Rahman (joint secretary), the HC ruled in the verdict.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman lifted its January 2 order that directed the government to suspend the retirement financial facilities of Dr Moarraf Hossain.

Following a report titled "ICU on sickbed" published in The Daily Star on January 2, the HC bench issued the suo moto rule on the same day and directed the government to suspend the retirement benefits of Prof Md Moarraf Hossain for his negligence in preserving and protecting hospital equipment.

Today, the bench ordered the health secretary to take departmental action against Prof Manosh Kumar Bashu along with collecting Tk 5 lakh as compensation from him.

In the verdict, the HC bench also issued several guidelines in order to ensure proper expenditures of state money and its transparency in purchasing and maintaining the medical equipment and machinery at all the government hospitals across the country.

READ MORE: ICU on sickbed