Ayaan's death: Writ seeks HC rule on Tk10m compensation
Staff Reporter :
A writ has been filed with the High Court seeking its directive upon the authorities concerned to submit within seven days the probe report prepared by the body, formed by the Directorate General of the Health Services (DGHS), regarding the death of a five-year old child, Ayaan, who died following a circumcision procedure conducted at United Medical College Hospital in the capital’s Badda area.
Supreme Court lawyer A B M Shahjahan Akand Masum on Tuesday filed the writ as a public interest litigation.
The lawyer also sought a rule from the HC to explain as to why the respondents should not be directed to pay Tk 10 million to the family of the victim as compensation.
It also prayed to the HC to issue a rule upon the respondents to explain as to why the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) registrations of the doctors concerned should not be cancelled.
It also wanted to know in the rule as to why the respondents should not be directed to take punitive actions against the hospital authorities following a proper investigation into the death of the child, and as to why license of the hospital should not be cancelled for authorities’ negligence inthe matter.
The writ petition may be heard by the HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah very soon, said the lawyer.
Ayaan, a nursery student at a private school in the capital, passed away 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 mishandling led to the loss of his child.
On 31 December last year, Ayaan was circumcised under full anaesthesia at United Medical College 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 Sunday. The hospital authorities handed over Ayaan’s body to his family around 4:35 pm on January 7.
United Hospital has formed an inquiry committee to probe the incident. Meanwhile, the DGHS on January 8 formed a four-member body to probe the matter.
Meanwhile, a case has been lodged against United Hospital and United Medical College Hospital, its two doctors, and staffs over the death of five-year-old minor Ayaan Ahmed, who passed away on Sunday (7 January) following full anesthesia during a circumcision procedure.
Victim’s father Md Shamim Ahmed, 32, filed the case with Badda Police Station on 9 January.
The accused doctors are Anesthesia Specialist Dr Saeed Sabbir Ahmed and Surgery Doctor Tasnuva Mahzabeen of United Medical College Hospital in Satarkul Badda.
According to the case statement, Dr Sabbir and Dr Tasnuva, along with their accompanying nurses, took Ayaan to the operating room (OT) of the hospital in Satarkul Badda on 31 December and requested his parents to wait outside for 20-25 minutes.
“After 20-25 minutes, I inquired about my son, and they mentioned it would take some more time. Subsequently, they continued to delay, stating it would take more time.
After 1.20 hours, we realised there was a problem as numerous doctors from the hospital anxiously entered the room excitedly,” Shamim stated.
He added, “Forcefully entering the OT room, we witnessed the doctors pressing their hands on my son’s chest. Without permission, they inserted two tubes on both sides of my son’s chest.
Afterwards, they transferred my son to United Hospital, Gulshan, Dhaka, under their management.”
After seven days of keeping him on life support in the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) in the hospital, the doctors declared Ayaan dead around Sunday (7 January) midnight.
Hospital authorities handed over Ayaan’s body to his family around 4:30pm on Sunday (7 January).
