Within the 500-meter stretch from Mohammadpur College Gate to Shyamoli Shishu Mela, there are 20 hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centers. Most patients seeking treatment at these facilities fall victim to harassment involving various touts. Complaints include unnecessary medical tests, overcharging, medical negligence, unsanitary environments, treatment by medical officers rather than specialists, and medical malpractice.
In accordance with the directives of the Directorate General of Health Services, permission will not be granted to establish new clinics within a one-kilometer radius of government hospitals. Furthermore, doctors employed at government hospitals are prohibited from practicing at existing clinics located within this zone. Yet, there are three government hospitals situated between College Gate and Shyamoli Shishu Mela; on-the-ground observations reveal that many doctors from these government hospitals do, in fact, practice at these private clinics.
I met Masud at the gate of Jamuna Hospital. He had brought his mother from Tangail to see a doctor at Suhrawardy Hospital. Masud explained that his mother was suffering from a tonsil problem. Someone had told him that Jamuna Hospital offered excellent treatment and had good doctors. Acting on that tout's advice, Masud brought his mother there. However, he was left disappointed; he found that the doctor had not yet arrived and was told to wait. Notably, a patient had died at this very hospital during a tonsil surgery back in July. It appeared that the hospital was being run by a single medical officer.
The situation at Dhaka Health Care Hospital is much the same. On-the-spot observation reveals an overflowing crowd inside, with barely any room to stand. There is gross mismanagement, and patients have various complaints regarding their treatment.
The other hospitals located within the 500-meter stretch from College Gate to Shishu Mela are:
Prime General Hospital and Digital Diagnostic Center, Royal Multi-Specialty Hospital and Diagnostic Center, Popular Diagnostic Center Ltd., Victoria Health Care Ltd., Trauma Center, Health Care Diagnostic Center Limited, Hridoy Hospital Limited, Medicine Medical Services Limited, Al-Noor Life Hospital, Dhaka International Hospital, City Care General Hospital and Diagnostic Center, Shyamoli Baby Care and General Hospital, Dhaka Trauma Center and Specialist Hospital Ltd., Islamia Diagnostic Center, Doctors Care Hospital and Diagnostic Center, High Care General Hospital, and City Trauma General Hospital.
At Hridoy Hospital Limited, countless people can be seen sitting on the floor; there is no way to distinguish between patients and their attendants. When asked, the manager explains that even when told otherwise, they do not listen and insist on staying with the patients.
At Dhaka International Hospital, medical waste is seen discarded haphazardly, and the floors are damp.
On-the-spot inspections reveal that these clinics and hospitals have sprung up in cramped spaces; a single building often houses six or seven hospitals alongside various shops and offices. These facilities are by no means adhering to the guidelines set by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS); they lack the essential amenities and standards mandated by the Directorate. Establishing such a clinic or hospital requires obtaining licenses from the DGHS, the Department of Environment, the Department of Narcotics Control, and the Fire Service.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services, raids are occasionally conducted on these hospitals; however, after a short while, they resume operations just as before. These clinics and hospitals—which have sprung up like mushrooms—operate amidst various irregularities. It was emphasized that these illegal hospitals and clinics should be shut down immediately.
A manager at one of these clinics, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "If any of my relatives were to fall ill, I would not bring them to this hospital. No real treatment takes place here. Patients are subjected to extreme hardship; unnecessary tests are conducted, and exorbitant bills are forcibly collected."
It is alleged that these clinics employ individuals to lure patients away from government hospitals, with commissions paid based on the number of patients brought in.
When attempts were made to contact the owners of these hospitals, none of them agreed to speak.
