Intern doctor removed from duty over infant death at CMCH

Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) authorities have issued a show-cause notice to an intern doctor and removed her from duty over the death of 9-month-old Suraiya Alam in the hospital’s paediatric PICU, while also recommending suspension of her allowance.

Confirming the matter to The Business Standard, CMCH director Brigadier General Mohammed Taslim Uddin said intern doctor Shahnaz, who was on duty at the PICU, had been served the notice.

He said, “High-flow cannulas are not available in the market. They have to be collected from specific dealers. The intern doctor, without knowing this, asked the patient’s relatives to collect it from outside. The doctor should definitely have taken advice before giving such instructions.”

The intern doctor was removed from duty over the incident, while the CMCH administration also recommended suspension of her allowance.

Yesterday (18 May), the child who was infected with measles, died while undergoing treatment at the children’s ICU of CMCH.

The child, from Cox’s Bazar, had been admitted to the hospital for several days with fever, breathing complications and measles-related conditions.

According to the family, after the child’s breathing complications worsened, doctors advised the use of a High-Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC) and the intern doctor asked them to buy it from outside.

Unable to find the required circuit, the child’s father Mohammad Alam searched throughout the hospital for several hours.

Later, he managed to arrange the equipment through a supplier, but the child died before it reached the hospital.

Alam alleged that if the hospital authorities had informed them earlier about the shortage of the equipment, he could have tried to arrange an alternative more quickly.

“The price of the cannula is Tk15,000. Why is it not available in the hospital PICU?” he questioned.

Yesterday, CMCH Director Brigadier General Mohammad Taslim Uddin told TBS, “Some beds in the hospital’s paediatric ICU are government-supported, while others are operated through donations. There are 41 high-flow machines across the hospital. The matter will be investigated.”

Doctors said Suraiya had been diagnosed with measles and later developed inflammation in the brain, medically known as “measles encephalitis”.

As a complication of measles, the condition can lead to seizures, unconsciousness, high fever and various neurological complications, especially among children.

After the incident sparked discussion on social media and in the media, the hospital administration launched an investigation and later issued the show-cause notice to the intern doctor who had been on duty in the ICU.