Interns at Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital, better known as Mitford hospital, has started a strike after one of their colleagues was suspended for allegedly assaulting a nurse.
The impasse at the hospital has passed over 24 hours as their strike began right after another one by the nurses ended on Sunday.
The situation since Saturday has left hundreds of patients to suffer at the hospital at Old Dhaka.
Many patients and their relatives were forced to seek treatment somewhere else.
Around 1:30pm Saturday, intern Rakibul Islam Sujon assaulted senior nurse Bakul Rani Das at the hospital’s gynaecology ward on the fifth floor.
Services at the 600-bed public hospital were stopped right after the nurses began the strike.
Following their protest, hospital authorities temporarily suspended Sujon, who is also the Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s College unit. But the nurses continued their protest demanding that no certificate and medical licence be awarded to the intern and departmental action against him.
Patients had to return from the entrance as they demonstrated at the front gate abstaining from their work.
At noon on Sunday, Mitford hospital nurses’ leader Jarina Khatun announced halting their strike until Thursday.
Nurses will wear black badges and continue their work, but fresh programmes would be announced if no action was taken against the intern by Thursday, she said.
However, the interns began their strike minutes after the nurses withdrew theirs.
Interns’ spokesperson Qazi Iftekhar Amin told bdnews24.com that their strike would continue until 10am Monday.
Their demands include withdrawal of Sujon’s suspension order and actions against the nurse who claimed to have been assaulted, he said.
The strike will be called for an indefinite period if the hospital authorities took no measures, he threatened.
Amin claimed Sujon did not assault nurse Bakul Rani Das, he had a heated argument over treating a patient.
Das’ cheeks were cut from her broken spectacles when she fell on the floor during a ‘small tussle’, he claimed, alleging that she was swearing at Sujon at the time.
The hospital’s Deputy Director Abu Yusuf on Saturday said nurse Das was admitted to the casualty ward with a bleeding nose.
Hospital Director Jakir Hossain told bdnews24.com that the interns had already submitted their demands to the authority.
“But their strike will not affect the hospital’s services,” he claimed despite the sufferings of patients in the past 24 hours.
Yusuf, however, confirmed bdnews24.com of intern Sujon’s temporary suspension. “Steps will be taken against him after an inquiry.”
The administration has formed a four-member investigation committee.
Another nurse leader Md Jasim said their demands against Sunjon will have to be met by Friday. “Otherwise tougher programmes will be announced.”
Source: bdnews24
