When patients go to hospital, they are given several pathology tests by doctors and to have these done, patients at private and government hospitals face undue suffering.
Sometimes, patients do not have space to sit and toilet facilities are inadequate. A field visit to government hospitals gives a dismal picture.
The reported and witnessed irregularities include: absence of fan of air condition in the waiting area or, fans that are inoperative, pressure of too many patients, venal practice of giving serials in exchange of bribes, crisis of drinking water, washrooms etc.
At the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, patients have to stand for hours since there is no sitting arrangement. Patients blame the hospital authority for the lack of basic amenities.
Chairman of BSMMU, Dr. A B M Abdullah, said: “since the cost is low at government hospitals, the pressure is high.”
“To buy furniture is a lengthy rigmarole which has to be followed at government hospitals.”
This is absent in private ones, he observed.
At Dhaka Medical College, five persons run the pathology department, usually facing the demands of 500 patients.
This takes away a lot of time, resulting in long waiting hours.
BSMMU’s director, Brig. Gen. Abdullah Harun, told Bangla Tribune: “we have sitting arrangement but the facility has not been included in the new building as yet.”
There is the matter of the tender; chairs will be purchased via tender and then, seats can be placed, he added.
Talking on the matter, president of the Health Rights Movement, Dr. Rashid E Mahbub, said: “when our medical colleges were established, clinical labs were within the hospitals with the others reserved for the colleges.
Currently, college labs are also offering service to patients; the standard is not satisfactory, he said.
“The positive side is that now reports can be given within the day and the cost is borne by the government; the budget does not state this,” said Abdullah Harun.
He also said that the income from pathology goes to government revenue and college cannot spend it.
“Therefore, lab services cannot be upgraded.”