MM Jasim :When the government and private hospitals in Dhaka couldn’t accommodate patients due to seat crisis, the seats of the Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College Hospital remain vacant due to the alleged malpractice of the doctors. The employees of the hospital said that the doctors don’t advice the patients to get admitted in the hospital, as they don’t get extra benefits. Rather, they refer the patients, who come there in the emergency and outdoor departments, to other hospitals and private clinics in the interest of getting commission. When asked, Director of the hospital Dr Md Sirajul Islam denied the allegation. He claimed that the hospital is running well. The director, however, refrained from replying about various irregularities or the poor state of the hospital. Talking to The New Nation on Monday, Chairman of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) Prof MS Akbar, MP, admitted the irregularities in the hospital. He said that it would be very difficult to run the hospital if the doctors don’t cooperate properly. He said that the Holy Family is a leading hospital in the country. Since its establishment in 1953, the hospital has been serving well at an affordable cost. The treatment charges are reasonable and people from all classes can afford it. Besides, the poor have access to treatment free of cost or at a minimum cost, he said. In this context, the BDRCS chairman sought cooperation of all to develop it as the patient-friendly hospital. While visiting the hospital on Monday, this correspondent learnt that the number of patients is decreasing day by day. No patient was seen at the Cardiac Ward. The officials of the ward, however, said some patients come to the ward but they do not stay for long. They go to other hospitals or clinics. But they could not disclose the reasons behind this. There are 26 beds in the Children Ward, which is located in the first floor of the hospital. Only seven children were seen admitted. The rest 19 beds were vacant. Nurses said once all beds in the ward used to remain full and even the patients had to wait for getting admission. But the situation has started worsening for the last few years, the said. When asked about the problem, a nurse, seeking anonymity, said, “How the beds would be fully occupied when the doctors do not admit patients there?” The doctors refer the patients to other private hospitals and clinics to get commission, she said. Attendants and guardians of the patients, talking to this correspondent, expressed utter dissatisfaction over the treatment of the doctors. Now the quality of treatment of the doctors has greatly deteriorated, said an attendent. Meanwhile, it was alleged that the authorities of the hospital don’t pay salary to the officials properly. Some hospital insiders said that the authorities are not able to pay salary in time due to shortage of income. A nurse, wishing anonymity, said, she has been serving in the hospital for 39 years. The starting years was very well. But now they do not get salary regularly. Holy Family Hospital, established in 1953, renders medical services since then. The hospital includes the department of Emergency having 24 hours service with observation facilities, Medicine, Surgery, Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Cardiology, Paediatric Surgery, Nephrology with modern dialysis facility, Neuromedicine, Endocrinology with outdoor diabetic centre, Gastroenterology with Endoscopy, Psychiatry, Paediatrics & Neonatology, Eye, E.N.T, Neurosurgery, Urology, Orthopaedic, Physiotherapy, Dentistry, Radiology & imaging including CT scan & MRI, Ultrasonography and Pathology. It is a modern hospital with 646 beds.The hospital has a well equipped Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with latest technologies, skilled and well-trained staff. On the 2nd floor, 5 new Operation Theaters (OT) are now in running condition in addition to 2 OTs in the ground floor. The new OTs are equipped with latest equipments including a modern image intensifier with C Arm and an advanced operating microscope. The outdoor is equipped with central AC for the comfort of the patients. The Outpatient Department having facilities with consultancy service remains open in both morning and evening shifts. This hospital has the system of fire evacuation and control, central announcement system and ensures full time electricity by its own generator system. For effective communication, sufficient mobile phones have been provided to the duty doctors. It also has a computerized central register for the patients to find them out quickly. The hospital has low cost (20 taka) out patient services for the poor patients on every working day.”We have all the modern facilities like other public and private hospitals. But it is unfortunate that patients do not get admission here as they are referred to other hospital, Professor MS Akbar said.