FROM PAGE 12

“Let them say whatever they want, but I have revoked the licence, and that decision stands. This single punishment will be enough to bring private hospitals across the country in line.”

On the morning of May 27, six newborns, aged between one and four days, died within a few hours from 5:00am at the hospital, triggering widespread public outrage. The hospital’s licence was consequently cancelled last week. A DGHS investigation committee found clear negligence by the hospital authorities, nurses and staff, as well as the absence of an on-duty physician, to be responsible.

However, Tariqul Islam Mukul, director of human resources and company affairs at Ad-din Foundation, which runs the hospital, rejected the minister’s claim.

Contacted, he said, “We don’t know where he [the minister] is speaking from right now. There is no question of such an incident occurring on our side. We are not aware of any such incident.”

MORE PATIENTS LEAVE

Meanwhile, nine patients left Ad-din Medical College Hospital yesterday, on the second day after its licence was cancelled, as hundreds of patients remained under treatment there, hospital authorities said.

Contacted, Iqbal Hussain Rudra, public relations officer of the hospital, said, “Nine patients left yesterday, and 234 are still undergoing treatment. Of those under treatment at the hospital, 48 are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit [NICU], 12 in the Intensive Care Unit [ICU] and six in the Coronary Care Unit [CCU].”

At the time of the licence cancellation, 416 patients were admitted to the hospital. On Friday, the number stood at 243.

On Thursday, the Directorate General of Health Services revoked the licence of the 700-bed private hospital. It also instructed the hospital not to admit new patients and advised its authorities to either transfer existing patients to other facilities or discharge them upon completion of treatment.

Sirsha Chandra Mondol, 75, was admitted to the hospital on June 8 with a chest infection.

The hospital authorities on Thursday spoke to his family about shifting him to another hospital following the revocation of the licence, said Sikta Majumder, the patient’s daughter-in-law. “We chose to continue treatment there and left yesterday after the doctor discharged him.”

Mohosina Begum was also admitted the same day with fever. Her daughter, Farzana Akther Sweety, said they were receiving proper treatment, but the number of patients was decreasing. “Doctors told us that my mother would be discharged within a day or two.”

Locals said some people had come to the hospital earlier in the day and demanded the resumption of services. However, this correspondent did not find them there around 5:00pm.

(Our correspondent from Narsingdi contributed to this report)