Doctors, patient's family clash

Doctors of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital and family members of a patient who died at the hospital yesterday clashed on the hospital premises over allegation of negligence in treatment.
The clash left six, including two doctors, injured and halted medical service at the hospital for about three hours. Police rushed to the spot and diffused the situation.
The dead, Rezaul Karim, 31, of Patuakhali, had been admitted to the hospital on May 15 with leg fractures.
According to his family members, Rezaul's condition was improving till Saturday, but he suddenly died at the hospital yesterday. Mahmud Al Azad, one of the deceased's attendants, claimed when they asked the on-duty doctors the cause of death and brought up the allegation, the doctors attacked them.        
Dr Moriruzzaman Shahin, assistant registrar of the orthopaedics unit, held a press conference yesterday afternoon at the hospital. Denying the allegation of negligence in treatment, he said suddenly on Sunday, Rezaul began suffering from Pulmonary Embolism, a condition where the main artery of the lung becomes blocked. He said the hospital does not have the facilities to treat the condition and there was no time to send him to the capital. He claimed Rezaul's family members did not accept the explanation and attacked the doctors. Dr Qamrul Islam Selim, director of the hospital, said the situation is normal, and they will take further action after investigating the incident.