Employees oppose DMCH upgrade

Several hundred employees of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), including nurses and third and fourth class employees, yesterday protested the government's plan to turn the institution into a full-fledged medical university.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made the announcement on Tuesday while inaugurating the new Academic Bhaban of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College.
Protesting this, the nurses and employees under the banner of Sammilito Sangram Parishad brought out a procession on the college and hospital premises from 12 noon.
Abdul Khaleque, president of the fourth class employees union, told The Daily Star that they held a discussion on the matter at the DMCH conference room and formed the Parishad with nursing supervisor Sabina Sharmin as its convener and him as the member secretary.
The meeting decided that they will continue their movement against the government plan. Also, fresh agitation programmes will be announced later, he added.
Poor patients now get service at DMCH but, if the institution is turned into a university, they will be deprived of service at a nominal cost as the institution “will become a business concern”, Khaleque said.