HC summons RMCH officials

The High Court yesterday summoned the director and the registrar of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) to explain a reported incident that a ward boy of the hospital had carried out an operation in absence of a surgeon.
The RMCH officials have been asked to appear before the court on March 5 also to explain their role in connection with the incident.
The order came in response to a writ petition filed by a rights organisation-- Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh-- following a report published in the daily Amader Somoy on February 9.
The report said ward boys of the RMCH conduct surgeries in absence of surgeons as the doctors are busy in politics and professional groupings.
Yesterday, the court asked the government to direct the heads of all hospitals across the country to ensure surgery by "proper" persons and to maintain healthy and safe operation theatres in the hospitals.
The HC bench of Justice Qauzi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain asked the government to submit a report after complying with the order in two weeks.
Besides, the court ordered the government to form a committee within a week to investigate the RMCH incident and submit a report before the HC in four weeks.
It also issued a rule upon the authorities concerned of the government to explain in two weeks why they should not be directed to ensure better and safe treatment and quality and effective medical services to patents in all hospitals.
The health secretary, the director general of Directorate General of Health Services, the secretary general of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council and the director and the registrar of RMCH have been made respondents to the rule, Deputy Attorney General Bishwojit Roy told The Daily Star.
During the hearing, petitioner's counsel Manzill Murshid told the court that the RMCH incident showed a very pitiful picture of the country's health services.
Hundreds of people die and get infected due to improper and defective operations, he argued, adding that the people of the country are deprived of proper health services for the mismanagement of the hospital authorities.