A hospital cleaner allegedly removed the oxygen supply of a patient at Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) after being denied tips, leading to the patient’s death, family members claimed.
The deceased was Saiful Islam, 38, a resident of Jogipol under Khan Jahan Ali Police Station in Khulna. He was admitted to Wards 5 and 6 of Medicine Unit-1 of KMCH on Saturday with kidney-related complications.
According to the patient’s relatives, a cleaner removed Saiful’s oxygen when tips were not given. Within 15 to 20 minutes of the incident, he died.
Saiful’s elder brother, Ashraful Islam, said his brother’s breathing difficulties worsened after admission, but despite repeated efforts oxygen was not available. Later, oxygen was arranged at night through a known contact. On Sunday morning, ward cleaner (outsourced) Jabbar demanded tips, Ashraful alleged. “When tips were not given, he removed Saiful’s oxygen and gave it to another patient. When we tried to protest, he misbehaved with us,” he said.
Cleaner Jabbar, however, denied the allegation. He said he had taken the cylinder for a critical patient and claimed he neither demanded tips nor removed the oxygen because of tips.
Khulna Medical College Hospital’s Deputy Director Dr Sujat Ahmed said only ward doctors can decide when oxygen should be given or removed. “If a cleaner removed oxygen without a doctor’s permission, it is a crime,” he said, adding that if a written complaint is lodged, an investigation will be carried out and action taken.
