Bed-trade at DMCH: People hostage to corrupt culture

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Taskina Yasmin
Published : 02:00, Aug 01, 2018 | Updated : 14:33, Aug 04, 2018

Bed-trade at DMCH: People hostage to corrupt cultureAt the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, DMCH, patients have to pay for a free bed. It’s found that once Tk. 300-500 is paid to the ward boy, trolley man or ayah, a bed is secured.
People accuse that unless money is paid, getting a bed is impossible.
Hospital administration feels that this happens as demand outstrips the number of available beds.
On Saturday, Sumona Akhtar, 23, came to DMCH to have her mother admitted.
She says: “after testing my mother, who is critically ill, doctors asked me to have her admitted, however, people in charge of wards told me that unless I pay, a bed will not be available.”
“In the end, I had to give Tk. 500 for a bed,” said a Sumona appearing helpless.
Another person told Dhaka Tribune: “the cost of treatment is low here but there are other expenses, to get a trolley Tk. 300 is needed and another 300 for a bed.”
Talking on the practice of charging extra from patients, doctors said: “this is the rule here; we cannot do anything about it.”
Wardmaster Abul Hossain, says: “if someone lodges an official complaint, then we take action.”
Speaking on bed-trade at DMCH, hospital director, Brigadier General, A K M Nasiruddin, told Bangla Tribune: “in a space for 2600 patients, we have 4000 with only beds for 600. Therefore, it’s difficult to control everything.”
If people are facing extortion in getting beds then let them come and make specific complaints, we will take action, he added.
Director of the health department, Kazi Jahangir Hossain, said: “there is a brigadier at DMCH as director, supported by a deputy director and three assistant directors; it’s their duty to look after the proper functioning of the hospital.”
We can take action if there’s any specific complaint, he observed.
“This is corruption, said president of Health Rights Movement, Dr. Rashid E Mahbub, and added: “such practice happens due to a shortage of beds and can only be countered by increasing their (beds) number.”

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