Patients suffer on Eid again
A report published in this daily yesterday revealed firsthand accounts of the untold sufferings patients at government hospitals had to endure during the Eid holidays. With most doctors and nurses having gone on leave for Eid, patients in some five major hospitals reported upon had to wait in long queues and resort to emergency services as outdoor services remained closed on Thursday and Friday. At Dhaka Medical College Hospital, basic facilities such as X-ray at the emergency were unavailable which forced critically injured patients to look for other alternatives. Unfortunately, this dismal picture has become something of a routine every Eid holiday.
It is incomprehensible as to why the hospital administrations kept these hospitals understaffed, even if it was for a short period of time. That patients who travelled to the capital with the sole purpose of seeing a doctor should be turned away by officials and told to come back when hospital activities returned to "normal" is unacceptable. The lack of access to the most rudimentary facilities such as X-ray, and that too in the emergency section, is baffling. Furthermore, the statement of a relevant official that he was unaware of any anomaly in the hospital services during the Eid holidays sheds doubt on the sincerity of the higher-ups about delivering proper services.
Healthcare services, being a basic need like electricity and water, should be prioritised accordingly by health officials. On major holidays, special arrangements should be made so that adequate staff is ensured at all times. It is of paramount importance that the issue of staffing, along with proper maintenance and availability of equipment, is given due attention.
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