Locals receiving ‘wrong treatment’ amid pandemic

Many ordinary people are compelled to receive 'wrong treatment' from so-called local doctors amid the pandemic. In some cases, such treatment has even led to the death of the patient.

Locals said at present, a number of residents in different upazilas of the district are not visiting the hospitals to avoid risk of coronavirus transmission. Finding no other alternative, they are compelled to visit the so-called local physicians.  

On June 24, Tushar Sheikh, 14, a student of Class IX of Pirojpur Town High School, died due to alleged wrong treatment.

Police and family members said on the same day, relatives took Tushar to Pirojpur District Hospital after his right leg was broken in a road accident.

After giving primary treatment, the on duty doctor at the hospital referred him to Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH).

But on the way to KMCH, ambulance driver Kabir Hossain took the victim to a house in Pirojpur town where a group of fake doctors, led by Sachin Roy, a pharmacist of Pirojpur District Hospital, treated the patient. Later, the boy died there.

The following day, the deceased's father Shohag Sheikh filed a murder case with the police station, accusing five named and two to three unnamed people. Ambulance driver Kabir of Pirojpur District Hospital is the prime accused in the case.

Another road crash victim Shahin Sheikh, who came to Pirojpur District Hospital for treatment on June 27, said after receiving treatment from a so-called local physician in Indurkani upazila for ten days, he came to know that one of the tendons of his left leg had been severed.

"Almost every day we have to give treatment to many patients who took wrong medicines prescribed by so-called local physicians," said Ishtiaq Ahmed, a medical officer of Pirojpur District Hospital, adding that the so-called physicians gave the patients unnecessary high power antibiotics.

Nijam Uddin, resident medical officer (RMO) of Pirojpur District Hospital, said after completing Medical Assistant Training School (MATS), Diploma of Medical Faculty (DMF) and Rural Medical Practitioner (RMP) courses, a person can prescribe medicine. But there has been limitation too.

A certified medicine seller can only sell over the counter (OTC) listed medicines without prescription, said the RMO.

Contacted, Pirojpur Civil Surgeon Dr Md Hasnat Yousuf Jaki said if they receive any allegation of wrong treatment, they will take action against those responsible for the offence.

Deputy Commissioner Abu Ali M Sazzad Hossain said they will conduct mobile court immediately to punish the culprits.