The influx of patients forces many to undergo treatment on the DMCH floor

The constant influx of patients seeking medical care at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) is leaving many undergoing treatment on the floor as almost all beds are filled daily due to overwhelming demand.

Many sick patients wait for treatment while staying on the floor at DMCH, attracted by the presence of specialized doctors and the relatively lower cost of medical care.

Badsha Mia, who hailed from Meherpur district, was injured in a road accident and admitted to hospital on the night of October 28. He was not given a hospital bed when the BSS correspondent visited the hospital on November 1.

Badsha, believed to be 45 years old, was treated on the ground after one of his legs broke in a road accident.

Her wife Noor Jahan said her husband could not get a bed in the hospital despite many efforts.

She said, “We are very poor and we cannot go to a private hospital for treatment. That is why her husband was admitted to the hospital for proper treatment.”

Abdur Rashid, from Gaibandha, was admitted to DMCH three days ago. He suffered a head injury in a traffic accident. He was also seen being treated on the hospital floor.

Suruj Mia from Comilla came to the hospital after suffering a stroke three days ago. He wasn’t even given a bed and was treated on the hospital floor.

Her wife Renujan said, “Her 60-year-old husband was admitted to hospital due to cerebral infarction. The doctors are giving her husband proper treatment, but the authority could not provide a bed at this time.”

A large number of patients, such as Badsha Mia and Abdur Rashid, are being treated on the floor of the hospital.

DMCH is touted to be one of the largest hospitals with 2600 beds in the country. But more than 500 admissions, 1,300 emergency visits and 5,000 patients at OPD per day left the hospital with serious problems in providing treatment, sources said.
The extraordinary pressure from patients often forces the authority to offer treatment, leaving many in the background, she added.