Madaripur Sadar Hospital reopens

Doctors and staff at the Madaripur Sadar Hospital have resumed duties after being on a strike for a week demanding action against people who assaulted a doctor there. Services resumed at the hospital around 1pm Friday following a meeting of the hospital management committee, chaired by local lawmaker and Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan. Also present at the meeting were Bangladesh Medical Association Madaripur branch President Dr Abdul Bari, Civil Seurgeon Dilip Kumar Biswas, Sadar Upazila Chairman Shafik Khan, Municipal Mayor Khalid Hossain Yaad and Resident Medical Officer Shashanka Chandra Ghosh. Patients were seen returning to the hospital from yesterday morning, but about half the beds were still empty at the time of filing this report. In the early hours of April 22, Dr Khandker Mainul Ahsan, who was in charge of the emergency ward, was harassed and assaulted by the family of a man who died there. His colleagues went on strike the same day and also wore badges and held protest rallies, demanding punishment for the criminals . Over the week the hospital emptied out as patients left for the lack of treatment. Resident Medical Officer Shashanka Chandra Ghosh said indoor and outdoor services were closed during the strike, but emergency services were available at all times for critical patients. The hospital staff have demanded that a police box be put up in front of the hospital for the sake of their safety.