‘Doctor Moyeen’s death exposes state of health system’

FT ONLINE

The death of Sylhet doctor Moyeen Uddin from COVID-19 has exposed the creaky state of the country’s healthcare system, leaders of the Left Democratic Alliance have said.

“It proves the government’s claim of sufficient preparations and supply of personal protective equipment or PPE to health workers is “nothing but a tall talk”, they said in a statement on Wednesday.

Moyeen, an assistant professor at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital in his late 40s, passed away during treatment at Dhaka's Kurmitola General Hospital early on Wednesday.

He was initially admitted to Sylhet's Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmad Hospital, which treats COVID-19 patients, after experiencing breathing difficulties on April 7.

A number of health professionals have been infected, but Moyeen is the first physician to succumb to the disease in Bangladesh.

The leftist leaders expressed concern over health workers risking their lives to treat patients without insufficient amount of protective gear due to “government negligence”.

“It’s very unfortunate that a doctor had to arrange his own transport and die in Dhaka as a divisional city like Sylhet could not provide him with intensive care and ventilator,” the statement said.

“The incident has exposed the creaky state of the country’s health system,” it added.

The leaders slammed the government for announcing incentives for readymade garment and other sectors instead of prioritising health.

“It proves what the government wants,” the statement said. It also criticised the suspension of six doctors of Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital.

The centre-left leaders demanded allocation of Tk 100 billion for the health sector to ensure urgent and sufficient supply of PPE, testing kit, ventilator and other things necessary to battle the outbreak.

Communist Party of Bangladesh or CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim, General Secretary Shah Alam, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal or BaSaD General Secretary Khalequzzaman, Revolutionary Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque, BaSaD (Marxist) General Secretary Mubinul Haider Chowdhury, Ganasanghati Andolan Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki, Ganatantrik Biplobi Party General Secretary Moshrefa Mishu, Communist League General Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Nannu, Samajtantrik Andolan’s Hamidul Haque and the Alliance’s Coordinator Bazlur Rashid Firoz signed the statement.