The Health Directorate transferred 156 doctors of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) through an order on Monday evening.
The order, signed by Deputy Secretary of Health Zakia Parveen, said: “The following BCS health officials have been posted to assigned workplaces until further instructions are given to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and ensure public service.”
In addition to the coronavirus units of different hospitals, they have been transferred to district and upazila health complexes. They were instructed to join their assigned workplaces from Wednesday.
However, at the moment, CMCH is treating more than 2,000 patients in different wards. These patients have been admitted to the hospital suffering from various diseases.
Concerns have been expressed by people, who are of the opinion that owing to such mass transfers, many of the patients who come to CMCH everyday will be directly affected. Medical leaders say such a mass transfer will lead to instability in the medical system.
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CMCH Director Brigadier General SM Humayun Kabir said: “One hundred fifty six doctors of my hospital have been transferred. This will break my medical system because there are different departments involved with Covid-19. In addition, there are more than 2,000 non-Covid patients in my hospital. As a result, both Covid and non-Covid activities will be disrupted.”
“I informed the senior officials after knowing of this move,” he added.
CMCH Patient Welfare Society Executive Committee member Zia Uddin Khaled said: “Transferring more than a hundred doctors from CMCH to different parts of the country now is a terrible thing. I fear this will lead to a collapse of healthcare activities at CMCH. The Covid Ward and other emergency services in particular will be severely disrupted.
“The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare should reconsider the matter in the larger interest of humanity.”
The transfer decision predictably generated reactions among the doctors on Monday night. Transfer orders have been issued from CMCH Hospital to Chittagong General Hospital, Fauzdarhat BITID as well as district and upazila hospitals in Khagrachhari, Feni and adjoining districts.
Questions have also been raised about the purpose of the transfers and how doctors will join their assigned workplaces by Wednesday during the lockdown.
Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip) Divisional Coordinator and Organizing Secretary AMM Minhazur Rahman said there were currently about 250 Covid patients and 2,000 non-Covid patients in CMCH.
Transferring a physician from CMCH is tantamount to breaking down the existing medical system. Chittagong General Hospital and BITID were doing well with existing doctors, he added.