False hopes, fake physicians and the death of a schoolboy
A schoolboy, who broke his leg in an accident, died after receiving "wrong treatment" from a group of "fake physicians" in Pirojpur's Sadar upazila yesterday.
The death followed a case being filed by the victim's father Shohagh Sheikh in this connection and the subsequent arrest of the two sons of the Pirojpur ward-6 councillor. Three other accused are on the run.
A resident medical officer of Pirojpur Sadar Hospital -- who had given the boy primary treatment at the hospital -- also said the death was because the so-called physicians had completely botched the procedure.
The deceased, Tushar Sheikh (15), was a student of class 9 at Pirojpur Town High School.
The arrestees are Ali Hasan Leon and Ali Imam Antu, both sons of Afroza Salam, councillor of ward-6 of the municipality, said Md Nurul Islam Badal, officer-in-charge of Pirojpur Sadar Police Station.
Their father the late Abdus Salam Modhu was also a councillor of the same ward.
Tushar broke his leg on an auto-rickshaw ride with friends and was referred to Khulna Medical College Hospital after primary treatment at Pirojpur Sadar Hospital, said his uncle Md Hiron Sheikh.
On their way to the hospital, some men convinced them to take treatment in Pirojpur, saying he may not be treated in Khulna due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tushar agreed and the ensuing erroneous treatment led to his death.
Tushar's father filed a case with Pirojpur Sadar Police Station last night, said OC Nurul.
What happened to Tushar?
On Wednesday afternoon, Tushar and his friends went to visit Khanakuniary village beside River Baleshwar on a battery-run autorickshaw. The autorickshaw overturned and Tushar broke his right leg, Tushar's uncle Md Hiron and Pirojpur Sadar Hospital Resident Medical Officer Md Nijam Uddin told our Pirojpur correspondent.
Tushar was taken to Pirojpur Sadar Hospital where an on-duty doctor referred him to Khulna Medical College Hospital after giving him primary treatment.
But on their way to Khulna, Md Kabir, an ambulance driver of Pirojpur Sadar Hospital, stopped the vehicle at Pirojpur town. At this point Sachin Roy, a pharmacist at the Sadar Hospital and two other staffers of the hospital -- Majedul and Manir -- reached the spot, around one kilometre away from the hospital.
Sachin Roy also works at the pharmacy of late councillor Abdus Salam Modhu (whose sons were arrested in this incident) at Pirojpur Old bus stop.
They offered to treat Tushar in Pirojpur, with Leon and Antu also present at the scene. Tushar's relatives were against the idea, but they were swayed after the pharmacist and the staffers said they would not get treatment in Khulna due to the general panic caused by the coronavirus pandemic and settled to pay Tk 30,000 as treatment cost.
Tushar was then taken to the house of Abdus Salam Modhu where a fake medical team arranged his treatment, Hiron said.
"We found no arrangement for proper treatment and protested, but they assured us of proper treatment and took him into a room," said Hiron. They pushed several injections into Tushar's body, he alleged.
"Around 12:00am, they said Tushar needed emergency oxygen and a vehicle was arranged. They took Tushar to Pirojpur Sadar Hospital where the doctor on duty declared him dead," Hiron said.
Md Nijam Uddin, resident medical officer of Pirojpur Sadar Hospital, said after giving primary treatment they referred Tushar to Khulna as there was no facility for his treatment in Pirojpur.
"Instead of going to Khulna, they went for wrong treatment. They were in no way qualified to administer treatment," the RMO said, adding that the boy was dead on arrival to the hospital around 12:00am.
He has also said that they have not gotten any written complaint against the staffers of the hospital. But if they get it, they will take steps against them after investigation.
Tushar's uncle Hiron says they had made all arrangements to treat the boy at Khulna Medical College Hospital.
A post-mortem was conducted this afternoon, said Md Nurul Islam Badal, officer-in-charge of Pirojpur Sadar Police Station, but the report has not been prepared yet.
Locals have alleged that a team of brokers often approach patients at Pirojpur Sadar Hospital and take them to fake doctors in exchange of money.
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