Patients suffer as intern doctors on strike at Cox’s Bazar Hospital
PBC News: The intern doctors of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital are on strike for the second day protesting sexual harassment of one of their colleagues. The health service in the hospital has become a standstill due to this strike.
The patients admitted to the 250-bed hospital complained that the doctors on duty visit the Ward usually two to three times in the other day but only once till Friday morning. They say there is only one medical officer who is working in the Surgery ward and struggling to cope with the patients’ stress.
In other departments, nurses and physicians are unable to handle with patients’ stress.
Six female intern doctors have brought out allegations of indecent behaviors, including sexual harassment, against Gynecology and Obstetrics Department Medical Officer Dr Mahfuzur Rahman. Instead of taking action against him, the hospital authorities decided to deduct his salary allowance of the complainants, they said.
Members of the Cox’s Bazar Medical College branch Intern Doctors Parishad went on strike on Thursday morning in protest.
Though the hospital authorities have already transferred the accused doctor but the crisis has not been resolved yet.
The Intern Doctors Parishad President Dr Meer M.M. Billah Taki said they will hold a meeting with the hospital authorities, including the principal of Cox’s Bazar Medical College Hospital and other officials to discuss the matter.
The hospital supervisor Dr Muminur Rahman said, “The crisis caused by the strike of the intern doctors will be resolved soon.”
However, the protesting intern doctors said that the strike would continue if the decision of the hospital authorities to cut the salaries and allowances is not withdrawn.
