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Shouldering extra responsibility during Eid

Non-Muslim doctors, nurses provide services to patients amid manpower shortage

Shaheen Mollah
As a good number of doctors, nurses and staffers of public hospitals went on leave during the three-day Eid vacation, their nonMuslim colleagues had to shoulder the extra responsibility and play a vital role in providing services to patients during the crisis period.
According to the hospitals, there was no deficit of doctors, nurses and other relevant staff at the emergency wards, but there was a crisis of doctors in other departments.
During the festival, patients from across the country get admitted to the hospitals in the capital since most senior doctors at different public and private hospitals are not available, said officials.
In addition, many smaller clinics are closed on Eid and poor people have nowhere to go, so they come to government hospitals, resulting in high number of patients, they added.
The hospitals had to release many patients, comparatively in better conditions, to reduce the
pressure as it was difficult for on-duty doctors to handle the overflow due to manpower shortage.
During a visit to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital and National Institute of Cardio-Vascular Disease (N1CVD), this correspondent saw patients waiting in long lines, even in emergency cases.
On-duty doctors and nurses were struggling to handle patients. They said almost all of those on duty during Eid vacation were nonMuslims.
However, some professors and senior doctors visited different wards and exchanged Eid greetings with patients. Special food was arranged on Eid day so that patients could experience the festivity somewhat.
DMCH
Around 3,800 patients usually remain admitted to DMCH, which
came down to around 2,100 during the vacation.
Several nursing supervisors said all the 423 nurses who were discharging duties during Eid vacations were non-Muslims. They said around 2,200 nurses work on normal days. Also, mostly nonMuslim doctors provided healthcare services to patients during this time
According to hospital authorities, around 1,100 patients received treatment every day in the emergency section during the holidays. And, it was possible due to the doctors, nurses and staffers who worked round-the-clock, they added.
Usually, 1,300-1,400 patients come to the hospital every day.
Contacted yesterday, Dr Bidyut Kami Pal, deputy director of DMCH, said mostly non-Muslim doctors and nurses provided services to patients during the Eid vacation.
"Senior doctors were available on call and if needed, they were ready to come to the hospital," he added.
When asked if there was any
crisis due to manpower shortage, the deputy director said they were able to handle the situation.
NITOR
Inflow of patients at NITOR was comparatively lower than previous years. However, the operation theatre and emergency ward remained crowded with patients and their family members.
Mostly road accident victims or patients in critical conditions get admitted to the 500-bed hospital.
According to hospital authorities, 70-75 patients on an average got admitted to the hospital every day during the holidays. The number used to be over 100 before.
Almost all the doctors and nurses who discharged their duties were non-Muslims.
Mizanur Rahman, 56, a patient of ward-A, said he got admitted to the hospital on May 30, following a road accident.
"In last four days, none of the doctors came to see me," he told this correspondent on Friday. "But nurses were available; they looked after me."
Prof Abdul Gani Mollah, director of NITOR, said, "Mostly non-Muslim physicians and nurses worked during the holidays. Besides, some specialist doctors also visited the hospital. Even I went to the hospital and inquired about patients."
Regarding Mizanur's complaint, he said, "Those who worked during Eid, tried their best to look after patients."
SUHRAWARDY HOSPITAL
Around 400 patients got admitted to the 850-bed hospital during the vacation.
Radiology department remained closed till Friday as many employees went home during Eid, said a staff member of pathology department.
According to hospital authorities, flow of patients was irregular and unpredictable, but on-duty doctors and nurses, were available to deal with the situation. Still, many patients had to bear the brunt of manpower shortage.
One such patient was Khalilur Rahman. The 67-year-old Daudkandi resident became sick on Eid night. His family members took
him to local hospitals but could not find any senior doctor. A staff member at a clinic told them to take him to Dhaka.
The family brought him to NICVD the same night, where doctors examined him and found that he had suffered a mild stroke.
They transferred him to nearby Suhrawardy hospital, where emergency doctors admitted him to medicine ward right away. This correspondent spoke to him on Friday afternoon.
"A doctor treated me while I was being admitted. He prescribed me some medicines and tests. Since then, I haven't seen any doctor yet. Nurses are taking care of me now," he said.
This newspaper got in touch with Dr Md Aminul Hasan, director (hospital) at Directorate General of Health Services, yesterday. When asked why mostly nonMuslim doctors, nurses and staff members work at the hospitals during Eid holidays, which resulted in the crisis, he said, "During vacations, hospital authorities set up the rosters, not us."
"But we did give them directives to provide quality services to patients as much as possible," he added.