“Free” treatment turns out to be not so free for victims of the uprising

Anyone familiar with the Bangladeshi healthcare system is painfully aware of the fact that syndicates are all too common in public hospitals. Even after the July uprising they are as active as ever and are trying to deceive the victims of the movement.

For example, on October 27, a doctor at the emergency department of the National Neuroscience Institute and Hospital told the attendants: “For a CT scan, you only have to pay Tk 2,000, no more, even if you are asked for it.” He repeated this at least twice more.

Worse, the provisional government’s “free treatment” for those injured in the July uprising is inconsistent amid the chaotic process of registering the number of martyrs and wounded.

TBS spoke to victims at the National Institute of Trauma and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) and the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospitals (NIOH), hospital managements and the interim government. Shaheed Smriti July Fund (better known as July Fund) and others to assess the brunt of healthcare costs in the wake of the unprecedented carnage.

No one left behind

On September 12, the caretaker government announced a Tk 100 crore fund for the victims. The July fund was supposed to pay this fund..

On October 29, Sarjis Alam, coordinator and general secretary of the fund, posted on Facebook that 245 victims of the July-August mass uprising had received financial assistance amounting to more than TRY 2.41 crore.

“We have contacted more than 300 families of the injured (so far),” he said on October 31 at the foundation’s office in Shahbagh.

The vetting process, Sargis said, is challenging. This leads to delays in payment of funds. “Once we have a confirmed list, we will release all funds… hopefully by the end of November. Additionally, this is a lifetime review; we are working to provide lifetime benefits,” he added. The foundation works with hospitals and the Ministry of Health.

“In these two months, we have compiled a verified list of more than 30,000 wounded and more than 1,600 martyrs,” Sarjis said, adding: “The list of martyrs published by the interim government (which hovers around 700) will be updated accordingly after further verification. ”

The 20-person trust currently includes a dedicated six-person review team.

“We previously had five members and we have added one more. If necessary, we will increase the number to 10,” Sargis said.

Beneficiaries

In mid-October, the foundation visited Nitor and collected information about the injured patients admitted to Ward A. After about a day, almost everyone in the ward received Rs 1 lakh each.

Munir was among the few who were left empty-handed. “They asked for supporting documents. My brother visited Shahbagh’s office twice in October and then on November 4,” he told TBS over phone. “We were told we might get the funds in a week.”

Dr. Munir Hossain (32-year-old garment worker, resident of Ghazipur), in a family of three, is currently on his second appointment in Nitore. He was discharged in early September, but returned later that month with even more severely infected legs. He underwent six operations.

Their healthcare expenses, including ambulance travel and food for attendants, amounted to over Rs 1.5 lakh. Donations from individuals have also been a lifesaver for these families. “We received more than Rs 1 lakh,” said Munir, the family’s sole breadwinner.

Lying on the corner bed in Nitor B’s room was Khorshed Alam.

As we approached, two things became clear at first glance. He speaks quietly and his injury is a bandaged right thigh.

Upon closer inspection, the seriousness is obvious. The exit hole from the bullet left a deep wound. The pink flesh peeking out from under the bandage looked as if someone had filleted Khorshed’s thigh.

Manikganj resident Khorshed was discharged from Nitor in mid-August. But his condition worsened. He first sought help at local hospitals and eventually had to return to Nitor by early September in worse condition than when he was released.

“I didn’t want to leave when I was first discharged,” Khorshed said.

“Readmissions are happening. Many people experience minor complications… However, we pay special attention to them. But readmissions are not happening due to any serious complications, although (some) are being referred,” said Dr Kazi Shamim Uzzaman, director, NITOR.

“There are no cases of life-threatening critical illness. But we do have patients with chronic disabilities. We are thinking about them, need expert opinion and are negotiating with Thailand and other countries about them for better care,” he said. added.

Dr Kazi Shamim further said, “Sometimes patients come from far away. They are fine, but they need physical therapy. When they ask not to be discharged, we leave them because we don’t want them to go through the hassle because they are deserving people. ”

On October 22, Prof Dr Khair Ahmed Chowdhury, director of NIOH, said: “There are now 45 patients admitted here. They don’t need any treatment, their vision may have deteriorated or gone completely – we can’t give vision to everyone… but why are they staying here?

He continued: “Because they believe they can present their demands to the government. Because if they return home, they will become an individual. But if they stay here, they can have a collective voice. Some patients receive donations and stay here. “Maybe I’ll get something tomorrow if I stay here.”

From July 15 to October 22, 468 patients were treated in Nitor. According to the hospital director, there are still 61 patients in the hospital.

Mehedi Alam (26), a day laborer, was shot dead on July 18 near the Brac University campus. One of his legs was burned below the knee by a bullet. His sister Dahlia had been sleeping on the hospital floor for months.

At our fourth meeting on October 1, she hesitated for the first time.

The reconstruction of Mehedi’s left leg was nearing completion. You could see the renewed flesh on the left calf. His right leg, which was cut for a skin graft and later became infected, was also recovering.

“But you see,” Dahlia said, pointing to her left knee, Sept. 30, “that part is stiff as a rod, the doctors said we need to go to CRP (Center for Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed).”

Why should patients be referred to CRP? Are there no rehabilitation centers in Nitor?

“We have rehabilitation. But if we talk about the highest level of rehabilitation, it is in the PIU. We have referred some who needed advanced physical therapy. But we regularly provide them with physical therapy from the physical therapy department,” replied Director Nitora.

On November 4, Mehedi and Dalia were in Uttara, one of their sister’s houses. “Each ambulance ride costs us at least Tk 6,000. And at the moment we have follow-up appointments in Nitor every two weeks. Mehedi’s medicine costs Tk 10,000 per month,” Dalia said.

So far, Mehedi has undergone nine operations.

In Nitor, 16-year-old doctor Morsalin Mia, an amputee, stayed for several weeks before being discharged on October 9. They were then referred to the Brac Limbs and Braces Center on Babar Street in the capital. Morsalin was hospitalized there at the end of October and was undergoing treatment.

His mother received 1 lakh from the July Fund. “I won’t lie, in total we have received about Tk 3.5 lakh so far. I have about Tk 50.00 or so in my hands,” she said. Until August 5, when he was shot, Morsalin was working at a hotel in Ghazipur.

Upon discharge, they were given Tk 5,000 towards ambulance fees and Tk 7,000 towards medicine bills from the Nitor Somay Seba Foundation.

Nitor also has a Patient Advocacy Association, which operates through various public donations and funding from the Department of Social Services.

After the massacre, “we received a massive response. In August-September, we received around 69 lakhs. People and groups have donated money, crutches, etc. People are still donating to our fund (in October). The total number of patients served from this project is more than 200,” said Rushanara Khatun, SSO, NITOR.