HC asks DGHS to probe incident, submit report in seven days

The High Court (HC) has ordered the director general (DG) of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to take steps to investigate the death of five-year-old Ayaan at the United Medical College Hospital in Dhaka and to submit a report in seven days.
The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah issued the order following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer A B M Shahjahan Akand Masum seeking necessary directives on Monday.
The HC also asked the DG of DGHS to submit a list of the hospitals with licences and without licences to it in one month. It also asked the DG of DGHS to submit a list of the patients who died earlier at the same hospital due to mishandle and negligence of its doctors within three months.
At the same time, the court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the hospital and the government to explain as to why they should not be directed to give Tk 50 million to the family of Ayaan, who died following a circumcision at the hospital allegedly due to negligence and wrong treatment.
It also wanted to know in the rule as to why the license of the hospital should not be cancelled for authorities' negligence into the matter and why the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) registrations of the doctors concerned should not be cancelled.
Ayaan, a nursery student at a private school in the city, died following a circumcision procedure conducted at United Medical College Hospital in the capital's Badda area. Ayaan's father Shamim Ahmed alleged that the hospital's mishandle led to the demise of his child.
On 31 December last year, Ayaan was circumcised under full anaesthesia at the hospital in Satarkul Badda, allegedly without parental consent. He was transferred to the hospital's Gulshan branch from there as he did not regain consciousness a few hours post-operation.
After seven days of keeping him on life support in the paediatric intensive care unit, the doctors declared Ayaan dead early on January 7. The hospital authorities handed over Ayaan's body to his family around 4:35 pm on January 7.
United Hospital formed an inquiry committee to probe the incident. Meanwhile, the DGHS on January 8 formed a four-member body to investigate into the matter.
Bdnews24.com adds: Earlier on Sunday the government has ordered United Medical College to stop providing healthcare services after the death of child Ayan Ahmed for alleged negligence during circumcision at the private facility in Dhaka's Satarkul.
The Directorate General of Health Services issued the order on Sunday after inspecting the institution on January 10 following a complaint filed by Ayan's father Shamim Ahmed.
The United Medical College authorities could not provide documents on registration or licence for the hospital in an under-construction building, according to the order.
United Medical College ordered to halt healthcare services after child Ayan's death
Online records show the medical college never applied for the licence, the directorate said.
The website of the institution, owned by United Group, says it has a teaching hospital attached to its permanent campus.

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