HC asks for report on DMCH steps

The High Court yesterday directed the authorities concerned to inform it about the steps taken against the persons responsible for the incident of a patient's taking his life after failing to get treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Nurnobi, a patient with stomach ache from Lakshmipur, killed himself by jumping from the eighth floor of a DMCH building on Tuesday to get rid of the anguish as he allegedly did not receive treatment from the hospital, according to a report published in The Daily Star yesterday.

In response to a writ petition, the HC yesterday ordered the health secretary and the DMCH director to submit a report before it within two weeks on the steps taken against the persons responsible for the failure and negligence over the incident.

The court issued a rule upon them to explain in two weeks as to why they should not be directed to give adequate compensation to Nurnobi's family.

In the rule, the court also asked the two to come up with an answer as to why their failure and negligence to provide medical treatment to Nurnobi should not be declared illegal.

It also ordered the authorities concerned to explain why they should not be directed to ensure proper treatment to patients at all government hospitals across the country, Deputy Attorney General Biswojit Roy told The Daily Star.

The HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman came up the order and rule after hearing the writ petition filed by rights organisation Ain O Salsih Kendra on the basis of The Daily Star report under the headline “Uncared for, patient takes his life”.

Advocates ZI Khan Panna, AM Aminuddin and Abantee Nurul moved the petition.

ZI Khan told the court that the authorities concerned had failed to provide treatment to Nurnobi,               and their failure and negligence                  had prompted him to commit suicide to get relief from the excruciating  pain.

 He prayed to the HC to pass necessary orders against the persons responsible for the incident.