Patients yesterday suffered to a great extent as physicians of all the government and private hospitals went on a daylong strike protesting assault at one of their colleagues.
Employees of different hospitals and clinics put main gate of emergency departments under lock and key during the strike.
Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Khulna Unit, Private Medical Practitioners Association (BPMPA) and Private Clinic and Diagnostics Owners Association jointly called the strike at a meeting held at BMA auditorium on Wednesday.
Chaired by Khulna District President and central Vice-President of BMA Dr Shekh Baharul Alam, Doctors leaders of the organisations attended the meeting.
On March 1, Khulna BMA at a press conference at Khulna Press Club demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of Terokhada Sadar Union Parisad Chairman SM Waheduzzaman and his supporters on charge of physically assaulting medical officer of Terokhada health complex Dr Abdullah Al Mamun.
They also set Wednesday as deadline for arresting the UP chairman and his supporters.
Chairman Waheduzzaman and his supporters attack on Dr Mamun around 9pm on February 28 as he did not agree to visit sick wife of UP chairman at his residence located at least three kilometres away from the health complex.
The chairman along with his supporters stormed into the emergency ward of the health complex and started beating him. As a result, he sustained severe injuries in his body and teeth. He is now undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital.
A case was filed with Terokhada police station in this connection accusing five people, including UP chairman and some unnamed other accused.
Dr Sheikh Baharul Alam said doctors were giving health services to the serious emergency patients. “We will be taken tougher action if the administration concerned does not meet our demand,” he threatened.
While visiting several public and private hospitals this noon, this correspondent found that patients left the hospitals due to doctors’ work abstention.
UP chairman Waheduzzaman denied his participation in the attack on Dr Mamun. “I don’t know who attack on him. But it is true that Dr Mamun is a delinquent physician who keeps him aloof from serving patients of the upazila health complex properly for doing private practice, UP chairman said.
Dr Mamun also denying the allegation of UP chairman and said he had been working in the emergency ward to examine the patient. So I am not agree to go to the house of UP chairman and to see his sick wife leaving the patient of the health complex, he added.
