Most of the patients al Dhaka Medical College Jlospiial (DM( II) are forced lo go to private diagnostic centres for routine tests.

An investigation by I he Daily Star found that paiirnls, both admit led and outdoor, are almost regularly referred to private establishments by the doctors for different laboratory examinations, although the hospital lias its own diagnostic wing ihai remains open throughout the day.

Mohammed Moslem, an righty-ycar-oki from Sutrapur, was admitted lo the DM( 11 vviih severe chest pain. I he doctors sent him lor X-ray of his < hesi and some routine blood tests al MS X-ray and Pathological Centrein Mohakhalion January 30. All ihdse tests could have been done at the hospital.

lor the fests I spent Tk 560 which I borrowed from a neighbour," said Moslem

Ilie same was (he case with Sonia Hie eighteen-year-old girl, suffering from tubercular meningitis, had

biochemical tests like sugar, protein, sodium, potassium, chloride, etc done .it City Diagnosin' Complex, referred to by Professor Rafiquddin, on February 28

I lonorary doctor on duty in Ward 3, where Sonia was under treatment, said he frequently referred patients to private diagnostic centres at the instruction of Pro). Rafiquddin.

An internee doctor, who identified himself as Mostafa and was also on duty in (he same ward, admit -ted that patients were regularly sent outside.

Ramjan Ali, R, was asked to have a highly expensive Cl’ scan of the whole abdomen al Popular Diagnosis Centre by Dr Alauddin Shantu. Prior 10 this, he had hi' urine cultured al Prime Diagnostic I id on Dr Ziaul I laque's reference.

Ramjan's father showed the prescriptions io this correspondent and said his son had been also laid in have blood, urea and creatine tests on February 5 and m at Padma Diagnostic Cent re.

On February 23 Ramjan needed urine Culture and urine analysis and this time (he tests were done at Medinova Medical Service**.

Almost all (he CT Scans for head injury are referred to private diagnostic centres from Ward 30 (neurosurgery department). Investigation forms of different diagnostic centres were seen in the doctor's duty room. Attending nurses said (he investigation slips are used to refer patients to various diagnostic centres.

The hospital’s clinical pathology-wing regularly carries out total and differential counts of blood, haemoglobin. stool, urine, blood film, skin scraping and fungus tests. Samples are routinely collected from 8:00 to 11:()() in the morning every working

day while it also operates 24 hours for emergency purposes.

"W’e provide round-the-clock service but it is very unfortunate that many tests are referred to private diagnostic centres," DMCH Medical Technologst Mohammed Wasek said.

Besides, the pathology- department of DMC, adjacent to the hospital building, lends additional support for microbiological, biochemical and other pathological examinations.

Since 1999 DMCH has offered one of the most modern radiological facilities and at a much cheaper rate than elsewhere, but surprisingly the doctors rarely ask patients to use these.