Pvt Hospital in Cumilla: Treated Covid-19 patients though no deal with govt

The private hospital in Cumilla has not renewed its licence since 2018. The government has not signed any deal with it for Covid-19 treatment.

Yet the hospital treated Covid-19 patients at the instruction of local district administration and eventually asked for a hefty amount from the government for establishing an ICU.   

Almost four months ago, the district administration sent a letter to AFC Health Fortis Heart Institutethe private hospital, asking it to prepare an ICU for Covid-19 patients.

Two days after receiving the letter, on March 25 it replied that there was no intensive care unit at the facility and establishing one would take a long time, according to documents.

About a week later, Cumilla Civil Surgeon office wrote a letter to the hospital, asking it to start treating Covid-19 patients.

The hospital authorities then started working to establish the ICU and it was ready for use on May 2.

Between May 10 and June 3, only 19 patients with coronavirus were treated at the hospital. Four of them died and 15 recovered.

For their treatment, the hospital sent the government a bill of Tk 12,75,636. It also sent a bill of Tk 5.41 crore for establishing the ICU, officials said.

Almost four months ago, Cumilla district administration sent a letter to a private hospital, asking it to prepare an ICU for Covid-19 patients.

Two days after receiving the letter, AFC Health Fortis Heart Institute on March 25 replied that there was no intensive care unit at the facility and establishing one would take a long time, according to documents.

About a week later, Cumilla Civil Surgeon office wrote a letter to the hospital, asking it to quickly prepare the ICU for Covid-19 patients.

The hospital authorities then started working to establish the ICU and it was ready for use on May 2.

Between May 10 and June 3, only 19 patients with coronavirus were treated at the hospital. Four of  them died and 15 recovered.

For their treatment, the hospital sent the government a bill of Tk 12,75,636. It also sent a bill of Tk 5.41 crore for establishing the ICU, officials said.

But the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) declined to pay anything because the doctors and nurses were provided by the government and support staff by the local lawmaker.

Even the drugs needed for the treatment were supplied by the civil surgeon office.

As officials started talking about the hefty bill submitted to the DGHS, the hospital withdrew the Tk 5.41 crore bill on Sunday.

"We visited the hospital and found it perfect for treating Covid-19 patients. Then we sent the letter asking them to take preparation. We asked it to its existing ICU. We did not ask for setting up a new one," Civil Surgeon Niatuzzaman told The Daily Star yesterday.

Since there was no deal between the government and AFC Health Fortis Heart Institute, nothing will be paid, said Aminul Hasan, director of hospitals at the DGHS.

"I have asked the civil surgeon to take action against the hospital because it does not have a licence since 2018," he said.

The civil surgeon said, "The hospital has applied for registration. So, I cannot take any action against the hospital until the DGHS gives any directives."

The license of the hospital expired in 2018.

With questionable roles from the DGHS, the scams of fake coronavirus tests played by Regent Hospital and JKG health care made headlines at home and abroad in recent weeks.

Rapid action battalion on Sunday raided Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital in the capital's Gulshan and arrested two officials on charges of making coronavirus test certificates without conducting any tests.

Taufiq Hasan,  General Manager Operations of AFC Health Ltd, the owning company of AFC Fortis, said, "Through a letter, we have been asked to prepare an ICU to serve Covid-19 patients in Cumilla. The authorities repeatedly asked us to start working."

He added, "But we replied every time saying that we do not have an ICU. Then we had to prepare the ICU. The bill we submitted was basically for the establishment of the ICU which was to be used by the government  for an extended period."

Asked when and why his office withdrew the bill, he said, "We withdrew our bill on Sunday. Initially, we thought that we would have to serve for a long time and that's why we established the ICU. But as it creates confusion and controversy, we withdrew the bill."