Dengue situation worsens in Khulna as interns go on strike

Collected Photo

Five people died of dengue in Khulna division in the past 24 hours, while intern doctors at Khulna Medical College Hospital have begun an indefinite work stoppage, disrupting medical services.

Four of the deaths were reported in Khulna district and one at Khulna Medical College Hospital, the highest daily death toll in the division this year.

The work stoppage began at 1 PM on Saturday after intern doctors protested the appointment of Dr Md Zahirul Haque as head of the medicine department.

The strike has raised concerns over medical services at the hospital as the number of dengue patients continues to rise. Hospital authorities also said the number of measles patients has increased.

Intern doctors also locked the office of the current head of the medicine department, Prof Dr ABM Saiful Alam. Dr Kamran Hossain, general secretary of the Khulna Medical College Hospital Intern Doctors’ Council, confirmed the incident.

Relatives of some patients said intern doctors were not regularly available because of the strike, causing difficulties in getting medicines and necessary treatment.

According to the college authorities, an office order signed by Principal Prof Dr Syed Amanul Islam on September 24 appointed Dr Zahirul Haque as head of the medicine department.

The order said the current department head, Prof Dr ABM Saiful Alam, would go on post-retirement leave on September 30 and that Dr Zahirul Haque, currently serving as professor in charge of the department, would take over as head on his last working day.

Dr Kamran said the interns objected to Dr Zahirul Haque’s alleged political affiliations.

He alleged that Dr Zahirul Haque was a lifetime member of the Awami League and the Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip), and had opposed the July movement.

“We have no objection to his academic activities as a teacher. But we will not accept anyone facing allegations of political involvement as head of the medicine department,” he said.

Dr Kamran said the work stoppage would continue until the office order was cancelled, although emergency services would remain operational.

He said they did not want medical services to suffer amid the rising dengue cases and demanded that the issue be resolved quickly.

Regarding the lock on the department head’s office, Dr Kamran said it was done by the intern doctors.

Principal Prof Dr Syed Amanul Islam said Dr Zahirul Haque had been appointed in accordance with seniority rules.

He said the college had followed the seniority policy because the current department head was going on post-retirement leave. He added that the interns were protesting over a political issue.

The principal urged the interns to return to work, saying the country was on alert over the dengue situation and a prolonged work stoppage could worsen the situation.

He said the interns had agreed to meet mid-level officials on Sunday, after which senior teachers would also discuss the matter with them. The appointment could be reviewed if there were grounds to do so, he added.

Prof Islam also said the interns had proposed the name of Associate Professor Dr Moazzem Hossain, but his profile was similar. He said Dr Zahirul Haque was not working at the college during the July movement and that the interns had failed to provide documents supporting their allegations against him.

Khulna Medical College Hospital Superintendent Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman said the hospital director was on leave and that officials would meet the college principal on Sunday to resolve the issue.

He said the number of dengue and measles patients had increased and a prolonged strike by intern doctors would increase patients’ suffering.

The interns have said they will continue the work stoppage until the office order is cancelled.