A newborn died at Chittagong Medical College Hospital on Saturday allegedly due to the negligence of the on-duty staff, prompting the hospital authorities to terminate a female attendant at the hospital.
A three-member inquiry committee has also been formed to investigate the allegations.
The infant passed away on Saturday while undergoing treatment at the hospital鈥檚 neonatal ward.
According to the hospital staff, the father of the victim, Belal Uddin, is a resident of Pekua upazila in Cox鈥檚 Bazar. The baby was born on March 8 at a private clinic in Chakoria of Cox鈥檚 Bazar, and was admitted to CMCH the following day with pneumonia.
As the baby died at about 11:00am on Saturday, Belal Uddin lodged a complaint with the hospital authorities, alleging that his baby died when on-duty ward staff, including the female attendant (aya) and ward boy, refused to give oxygen to the baby as the father did not give them bribe which they demanded from him.
Saying that the 鈥榓yas鈥� and ward boys at the hospital did not do a single task without bribes, Belal alleged that they demanded Tk 200 each time oxygen was administered to the critically ill baby.
鈥楾oday, because I couldn鈥檛 pay, my child lost his life,鈥� the father told 抖阴精品.
鈥榃e are poor people, surviving on daily wages. We came here because we couldn鈥檛 afford private treatment. Where will I get Tk 200 every time? No one listens to us unless we pay. I kept calling for help, but they didn鈥檛 come. They only work when they get money,鈥� said the grief-stricken father.
鈥楳y wife, who has an ailing heart, is devastated and has fallen even more ill as she is crying all the time,鈥� he said.
Regarding the incident, CMCH director Brigadier General Mohammad Taslim Uddin said, 鈥榃e have received a complaint about the newborn鈥檚 death. I immediately spoke to Professor Shamim, who was in charge of the ward. He informed me that the baby was already in critical condition due to pneumonia when brought to CMCH from Chakaria. However, he was unable to confirm the allegations against the aya at that moment.鈥�
鈥楴evertheless, upon receiving the complaint, I immediately dismissed the aya, who was employed through outsourcing. Additionally, a three-member committee, led by the head of the neonatal department, has been formed to investigate the incident. Further action will be taken based on the committee鈥檚 findings.
Allegations from patients and their attendants are abundant against CMCH that its female ward attendants, ward boys and nurses demand bribes to provide essential services.