Intern assaults nurse

Healthcare services at Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital halted yesterday as the nurses observed a sudden work abstention after one of their colleagues was assaulted allegedly by an intern.

The agitating nurses said they would continue observing work abstention from 8:00am to 1:00pm for three days from today to press home their demand for arrest of the intern and cancellation of his registration.   

They threatened to observe indefinite work abstention if their demand was not met within the three days.

Injured Bokul Rani Das, a senior staff nurse, was treated at the hospital, while the hospital authorities suspended intern Rakibul Islam Sujon.

The incident occurred over a trifle matter of giving saline to a patient at the hospital's obstetrics and gynaecology department where both worked, said witnesses.

They said Rakibul had asked Bokul to give intravenous saline to a patient, but Bokul said she would do it after finishing what she had been doing at the time.

The intern then verbally abused her leading to an altercation between them. At one stage, Rakibul dragged Bokul to another room and beat her mercilessly, they added.

Brig Gen Md Zakir Hassan, director of the hospital, said the administration formed a four-member committee to look into the matter, adding that a meeting between the administration and the nurses decided that the nurses would render their services should an emergency situation arise at the hospital.