Mymensingh pvt hospital closed

Mymensingh's Civil Surgeon has ordered the shutting down of a private hospital in Mymensingh town over the recent death of a schoolgirl due to alleged negligence.

Rafia Mahmuda, 11, daughter of Mahmudul Haque Babu, died in Shilangan Hospital on August 28.

Babu lodged a complaint with the civil surgeon of Mymensingh, Dr AKM Abdur Rob, on Monday night.

Following the complaint, Rob, immediately ordered the shutting down of Shilangan Hospital.

“All activities of the hospital are currently suspended and all of their documents have been seized,” he said, adding that a probe committee   would be formed to investigate into the incident.

Babu, in his complaint, said that when his daughter Rafia began feeling pain in her abdomen, she was taken to Prof Dr Shila Sen, a gynaecologist, at her chamber in the same building as Shilangan Hospital, on the afternoon of August 26.

“Primarily the doctor informed me that the pain might be from appendicitis and asked me to get some tests done, including an ultra-sonogram,” said Babu.

Dr Shila Sen, also the head of Gynae Department of Community Based Medical College Hospital in Mymensingh, is the owner of the eight-storied building located in Charpara Nayapara area which houses Shilangan Hospital, her own private chamber, and some other doctors' chambers. The building also has flats where people are living.

After Dr Shila said the problem wasn't gynaecological but of the appendix, Babu took his daughter to Dr Monir Hossain Bhuiyan, a surgeon at Shilangan and also an assistant professor at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

Rafia was admitted to Shilangan Hospital later in the evening, under Dr Monir's suggestion. When he saw Rafia's test reports, he suggested that she had appendicitis and suggested to keep her in observation, and prescribed saline and antibiotics.

“When Rafia began screaming as the pain increased the following day, I informed the hospital authority but could not reach the doctor. She was sent to the diagnosis centre on the evening of August 27 for another diagnosis.” he alleged.

When Dr Monir came at around 9:30pm, he suggested an ultra-sonogram for the third time, along with blood and urine tests, to be done at Swadesh Hospital, another private hospital located around one and half kilometre away from Shilangan, Babu alleged.

“When we came back to Shilangan with the reports at around 11:00pm, Dr Monir had already left the hospital for his residence located at the fifth floor of the hospital,” he said.

Finding no other way, Babu went to Dr Monir's residence with the reports. “After the doctor saw them, he said he would go for surgery the next day at noon.”

On August 28, when Rafia's condition deteriorated further, Babu repeatedly asked hospital authorities to contact Dr Monir. At around 6:00am, Monir came and took Rafia into surgery, Babu said.

After half an hour of surgery, the doctor came and told us that Rafia's condition had worsened, and that she should be kept on life-support.

Rafia was then shifted to a nearby private hospital for life-support that same day, where she died, her father said.

Contacted, Shila Sen said she was just the owner of the eight-storied building and that her husband runs the hospital. She also said she has no involvement with Shilangan Hospital.

“When I first attended Rafia, she was not in a critical condition. I suggested that they get a surgeon, but I did not mention Dr Monir,” she claimed.

She added that she had no knowledge of the girl's admission at the hospital.

Contacted, Dr Monir said the patient had been suffering from dehydration and lack of urine output, for which he had to take 24-hours for her to be fit for surgery.

“I handled the patient with great care as a doctor and a father as well. There was no negligence on my part,” he claimed, adding, “If my negligence is found in investigation, I will take the whole responsibility on my shoulder.”

He said she died due to cardio respiratory failure resulting from septicemia after her appendix burst.

Rafia's father demanded proper investigation into the incident to avoid such unexpected deaths in the future. “I lost my daughter. I want the end of such negligence in the name of treatment,” Babu said with tears in his eyes.