Allegations have surfaced that medical assistants and ward boys were responsible for providing health care services at the Dupchanchia Upazila Health Complex in Bogra as its doctors were living elsewhere and performed their duties at the hospital only once or twice a week.
The shocking state of the hospital came to light after two victims of a fatal road crash incident died at the health complex on Friday (May 7), reportedly in the absence of a duty doctor, reports Bangla Tribune.
However, when contacted the Upazila Health & Family Planning Officer (UHFPO) Dr Abdul Quddus denied the allegation and claimed that one Dr Ashraful Islam, MBBS, had been on duty when the accident victims succumbed to their injuries.
Meanwhile, local residents and police said they were unaware of the matter and no unnatural death case had been filed with the police station.
Wishing anonymity, multiple officials and employees at the Dupchanchia Upazila Health Complex said that the medical system there had been in a state of disrepair for a long time.
Most doctors, including UHFPO Dr Abdul Quddus, did not perform their duties properly and were busy with their private practices.
Moreover, there were various allegations against Dr Abdul Quddus, which included his living in Bogra city, seeing patients at private clinics by using government transport, and continuing to provide health services despite being infected with Covid-19.
These allegations were under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission’s Bogra integrated office, they added.
The locals further alleged that the doctors posted at the health complex were located elsewhere and visited patients only once or twice a week.
According to hospital sources, Dr Ashraful Islam was on duty at the upazila health complex on Friday (May 7) morning.
However, witnesses said two critically injured road accident victims—Hamid Miya and Abdul Gafur —were admitted to the hospital and later died while undergoing treatment carried out by its medical assistant and ward boy.
Later, Dr Ashraful Islam arrived at the upazila health complex and attempts were made to cover up the matter of his absence.
Although an attending medical officer is obliged to inform the police about an unnatural death case, the two bodies were handed over to their family members soon after, in violation of legal procedures.
Confirming the matter, Dupchanchia Police Station OC Hasan Ali said the police had not been informed of the two unnatural deaths that reportedly occurred at the upazila health complex on May 7.
When this correspondent contacted Dr Ashraful Islam to talk about the matter, he was asked to file a right to information (RTI) form containing questions that he wanted to be answered.
Meanwhile, denying the aforementioned allegations, Dupchanchia UHFPO Abdul Quddus Mandal said Dr Ashraful Islam had clocked in at around 9:20am on Friday as Dr Saikat left after finishing his night shift.
All physicians performed their duties properly and many lived in the hospital staff quarters, he said, adding that he too also lived in his official residence as per the rules.
Moreover, Dr Abdul Quddus Mandal claimed that influential people were conspiring against the institution to tarnish its image.
