Nationwide strike by doctors in Bangladesh shuts down healthcare

Triggered by a hospital attack, the strike has left patients without care, as doctors demand justice and safety

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DHAKA:

Doctors across Bangladesh launched an indefinite nationwide strike on Sunday, severely disrupting the country's healthcare system and leaving patients in distress.

The strike was triggered by an incident on Saturday night at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), the largest healthcare facility in Bangladesh, where the emergency department was vandalised by relatives and friends of a student protester who had been injured during recent demonstrations that led to the ousting of the Hasina regime. The injured student later succumbed to his injuries, with some of his peers accusing the attending physicians of neglect.

In response to the attack and to demand justice and improved safety measures, doctors at DMCH suspended emergency medical services Sunday morning. Attempts by hospital authorities to negotiate with the doctors were unsuccessful, leading to the escalation of the protest into a nationwide strike.

On Sunday afternoon, Dr Abdul Ahad from DMCH’s Neurosurgery Ward announced the strike, outlining four key demands: the arrest of those responsible for the assault on doctors, the establishment of a safer working environment, restrictions on unauthorised access to hospital premises, and the resolution of any alleged negligence by doctors through proper channels, rather than through violence.

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The striking doctors have vowed to continue the shutdown until their demands are met.

The strike has left many patients without care. Nayan Mia, who brought his injured brother to DMCH on Sunday morning, was told to seek treatment elsewhere. "If I can’t get healthcare here, where else can I go? I can’t afford treatment at private clinics," Mia told Anadolu, expressing the dire situation faced by many in the wake of the strike.

The protesting doctors have stated that any deaths resulting from the lack of treatment during the shutdown should be attributed to the administration's failure to address their concerns.