Docs blame health ministry for spread of infection among health workers

Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) has held the health ministry squarely responsible for the fast spreading of Covid-19 among health workers. 

In a letter to the Health Minister Zahid Malique today, the doctors' body said, supply of low quality masks, hastily and unscientifically built intensive care units and inadequate training of doctors are responsible for health workers being infected.

BMA also termed the total Covid-19 fighting process faulty and lacking in quality.

It said the pandemic has spread wide and fast because of the patients callousness and treatment of Covid and non-Covid patients on a small scale.

The letter further adds that the health ministry and directorate have shown lack of foresight and coordination in fixing the problems faced by health workers. 

"As many as 3,500 health workers, including 1,100 doctors, have been infected with Covid-19 in the country so far with 44 dead because of this," the letter says. No other Covid-19 affected countries reported such number of deaths of doctors and health workers from the virus or infections, except Bangladesh. 

"We noticed that your ministry has arranged several hospitals dedicated to journalists, police personnel, lawyer and others. But you are not showing any interest in making a dedicated hospital for the front liners who operate under your department," the BMA letter further reads. 

The letter concludes with a request to the minister to arrange a dedicated hospital for doctors within the next 72 hours. 

"Your ministry and directorate will be responsible for any situation that may arise otherwise," the letter concluded.