Child’s Death: DGHS shuts down United Medical College

The Directorate General of Health Services yesterday put United Medical College Hospital at Satarkul in the capital’s Badda under lock and key until further notice for operating without a licence.

The move comes after the death of five-year-old Ayaan.

Ayaan died following a botched surgery by the United Medical College Hospital doctors recently.

On January 10, Shamim Ahmed, father of the boy, filed a complaint with the DGHS, seeking cancellation of the medical college’s licence after a proper investigation into his child’s death.

That day, a DGHS team inspected the hospital. During the visit, the hospital authorities failed to show its licence.

Upon scrutinising the online database of the hospital and the documents produced by its authorities, the DGHS found that the institution never sought registration or licence from the health directorate.

The institution without lawful registration or licence is treating people, which is contrary to the laws, said the DGHS order.

On December 31, Ayaan was circumcised under general anaesthesia, allegedly without his parents’ consent, at the United Medical College Hospital.

He did not regain consciousness. He was transferred to the hospital’s Gulshan branch where he was kept on life support in the paediatric intensive care unit.

The doctors declared Ayaan dead on January 7.

On January 9, ABM Shahjahan Akanda Masum, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed a writ petition with the High Court, seeking its directive on the authorities concerned to pay Tk 1 crore to Ayaan’s family.

The petition, filed as a public interest litigation, prayed to the HC to order the DGHS to form a committee to probe the allegation of doctors’ negligence.

The same day, the DGHS formed a four-member committee to investigate the matter.