At a time when our healthcare sector is entirely overwhelmed and struggling to provide treatment to the escalating number of patients (Covid-19 positive and negative), we are disheartened to learn about the demise of yet another frontline worker, who was refused treatment at her own workplace because the doctors feared she was coronavirus positive—Habiba Sultana, a 22-year-old nurse of Ibn Sina Hospital who graduated from Ibn Sina Nursing Institute’s diploma programme in nursing and midwifery in 2018.

On June 10, Sultana suffered a stroke and was admitted to the National Institute of Neurosciences (NINS), but soon enough, her condition deteriorated and she required immediate ICU support. As there was no bed available at the institute’s ICU, her family took her to Ibn Sina Hospital hoping they would admit her, since she was their employee and also because she tested negative for Covid-19. Upon reaching the hospital, Sultana’s family realised that her Covid-19 test report was missing. While she lay unattended fighting for her life, her family tried desperately to convince the doctors at the emergency to give her some primary treatment. Despite the doctors from NINS confirming to Ibn Sina doctors that Sultana was Covid-19 negative, they refused to treat her for hours. Finally, her family called the 999 emergency hotline and officers from Dhanmondi Police Station arrived, but by then it was too late, and Sultana had already passed away.

There has been an alarming regularity of reports about patients being denied treatment at different private hospitals across the country, despite the health ministry’s circular stating that all private hospitals and clinics should have separate arrangements for treating “suspected” Covid-19 patients and that they cannot refuse any patient if they have the particular treatment facilities, and that failure to comply with the order will result in legal action. The health sector is already struggling to cope with the huge number of coronavirus cases, and we need all hands on deck—no hospital can leave resources unutilised and refuse care to the people who need it because of fears of coronavirus. The government must hold to account the hospitals that are blatantly ignoring their duty of care, and mandate the hospitals to accept patients requiring emergency medical services. There is an urgent need to ensure uninterrupted delivery of healthcare services to every patient during this critical time.