Bangladesh is preparing a list of the healthcare professionals who refrained themselves from caring patients since it reported COVID-19 fatalities from mid-March, officials concerned said.
The move came following a recent warning from the Prime Minister as many people with non-coronavirus strains have been suffering due to doctors' absenteeism in the workplace for fear of getting corona-infected.
As part of it, the Dhaka division office of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection has already conducted drives at different private healthcare facilities.
A field inspection at dozens of private hospitals in the capital found a dismal state of the facilities as most of the doctors remain absent for days.
The drive was launched at popular private infirmaries like LabAid Hospitals, Square Hospitals, Shomorita Hospital, BRB Hospital, Greenlife Hospital, Comfort Hospital and Anwar Khan Modern Hospital.
Dhaka division's deputy director Monjur Mohammad Shahriar led the operations at the hospitals.
"We're receiving information through media and other sources that private caregivers have virtually stopped treating patients in fear of being infected by the highly contagious novel virus," he said.
"What we've inspected is very unfortunate as many doctors have stopped serving patients. Healthcare service is a basic human right. So, the government keeps this service out of holidays."
Citing their recent drive, Mr Shahriar said some 18 doctors used to run chambers at Comfort Hospital, but they found only four physicians available for patients.
"The rest shut their chambers. The situation is almost the same at other hospitals. If doctors stop caring for patients, where will people with other disorders go?"
"We cannot let our people die without treatment. It cannot be accepted at all," Mr Shahriar said emphatically.
The inspection team also asked the hospital authorities to give them a list of the doctors who had gone away.
Another official, who was also a part of the drive, said they found the truth of private hospitals' apathy to treat the patients with fever, cold and cough.
"We warned them not to do it again and the hospitals also gave us a commitment that no such patients will go back untreated," he said.
Seeking anonymity, the official further said that they asked the hospital managements to provide them with a list of delinquent doctors.
"We'll take action in accordance with the law against them (the physicians) from our part and submit a list to the ministry concerned," he added.
When asked, Director General of Health Services Prof Abul Kalam Azad said the absentees should get back to work soon wearing PPE (personal protective equipment).
"We've enough stock of PPE. They can communicate with us. This is a crisis situation and people are badly in need of our service," he added.
"We all need to work together to win the battle against the deadly virus," Prof Azad observed.
On several occasions, health minister Zahid Maleque expressed his dissatisfaction over a halt to private practice and non-attendance of healthcare professionals at private medicare centres.
This has, in fact, made a serious blow to the country's healthcare system.
Mr Maleque had asked the wayward physicians to return to their respective duty stations to avert any stern action by the government.
jubairfe1980@gmail.com
