An 11-year-old boy died after undergoing surgery at a private hospital in Savar today (21 October), with his family alleging medical negligence and questioning the doctor's decision to proceed without an echocardiogram.
The boy, Abraham, was taken to Savar's Abbas Specialized Hospital in Ulail around 11am for an operation on his nose and tonsils, according to his mother, Kona Akter.
About an hour and a half later, doctors and nurses called her outside the operating theatre and told her that her son had developed complications and needed to be taken to the ICU, she said.
His mother said she took him to Enam Medical College Hospital around 2pm, where doctors declared him dead.
Following the boy's death, his relatives reportedly vandalised the hospital around noon.
The family alleged that the operation was carried out without a complete assessment of the child's health and accused the doctor and other staff of negligence and administering improper treatment during the procedure.
However, The Business Standard could not verify these allegations independently.
The correspondent visited the hospital after the incident to seek comments from the doctor accused by the family and the hospital authorities, but none of the doctors, nurses or officials were there. The hospital owner could not be reached by phone, as his mobile phone was switched off.
Speaking to The Business Standard, Abraham's mother said her son had nasal polyps and tonsil problems. She had taken him to the hospital's Dr Sumon Hossain a few days earlier, and he advised surgery and prescribed an ECG and an echocardiogram as preoperative tests.
She said she went to the hospital yesterday to have the tests done. Although an ECG was performed, the echocardiogram could not be done because no doctor was available.
"When I told Dr Sumon that I would get the echocardiogram done elsewhere, he told me that the ECG report was good and that an echocardiogram was not necessary," she said.
Following the doctor's advice, she brought her son to the hospital around 11am today, and her son was taken to the operating theatre, she added.
Dr Abdul Ahad, a medical officer at Enam Medical College Hospital, said the child showed no heartbeat or other signs of life when he arrived.
"After examining him and confirming his death, we informed his family," he said.
The incident also left other patients at the hospital in a difficult situation. When this correspondent visited the hospital, several patients were still admitted, but no doctors or nurses were present to provide medical care.
Sirajul Islam, a patient who was recovering from surgery there, told TBS that he had been unable to find any doctors or nurses since the hospital was vandalised at noon.
"I have also undergone an operation. I don't know what to do in this situation," he added.
Savar Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Fazle Bari said he had heard about the incident, but no one had lodged a formal complaint with his office.
"If we receive a complaint, we will investigate the matter and take necessary action against those responsible," he told TBS.
Savar Model Police Station Sub-Inspector Fazer Ali said police found no cuts or incisions on the boy's body during the inquest, but noticed blood coming from his nose and mouth.