Family demands punishment for doctor, clinic authorities

Family members and relatives of Meherunnesa Rima, 22, who died on Sunday for alleged negligence of her gynaecologist at Surgiscope Hospital Ltd in Chittagong city, yesterday demanded exemplary punishment for the doctor and closure of the private clinic.

At a human chain before Chittagong Press Club, Mustafa Jamal, brother of Rima, a niece of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam, claimed Rima got her stitches bleeding after her caesarean section performed by Shamima Siddique Rosy.

The two nurses with whom Rima was in an observation room did not pay attention to the situation and were busy with their own conversation. It was Rima's family members who phoned Rosy but the doctor arrived two hours later, he alleged.

Rosy disappeared and stopped taking their calls after performing another operation. Around 5:00pm, they were informed about Rima's death by the ICU authorities.

However, the doctor said Rima's stitches were fine. Rima died from postpartum hemorrhage and her bleeding could not be stopped due to her high blood pressure. "I reached the hospital 15 minutes after getting the first call and did not get any more call after Rima was admitted to the ICU. I did my best but one out of every one lakh patients develops such complication."

Imamul Haque, manager (admin) of the hospital, said punitive actions would be taken against the nurses if they were found guilty in the probe.