Nurse suspended for demanding money from patient’s relatives

A nurse has been suspended from Kasba Upazila Health Complex in Brahmanbaria on charges of demanding money from a patient’s relatives. The decision was announced in an order signed by the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer on Saturday (June 6) night. At the same time, a three-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident.
According to the victim’s family and hospital sources, when two children named Abdullah (4) and Khadija (3) from the Bisharbari area of ​​the upazila were bitten by a cat on Friday afternoon, their uncle Sabbir took them to Kasba Upazila Health Complex. It was alleged that while administering rabies vaccination there, the nurse on duty, Morsheda Akhter, demanded 200 taka.
The complaint states that when the patient’s relatives refused to pay the money, claiming that the government hospital provides free services, the nurse behaved indecently with them. At one point, there is also an allegation that they were locked in a room. When the matter came to light, the victims alleged that other family members were also mistreated when they went to the hospital.
Meanwhile, in a video circulating on social media, nurse Morsheda Akhter can be heard telling the patient’s relatives, “Is 100 taka too much for you? Give it to me, I thought you would give it. But why aren’t you giving it?”
In the video, she can also be heard saying, “There are no rules for giving injections here. Then why didn’t you bring it from below? There is no humanity in what I gave. I didn’t give it because you would give me money.” At one point, she even asked the patient’s relatives to leave.
Sabbir, the victims’ uncle, said, “When my nephew and niece were bitten by a cat, I took them to the hospital at night. At first, the nurse was a little hesitant to give the vaccine. Later, when we requested, the vaccine was given. But immediately after the vaccination, she demanded 200 taka. When we refused to give the money, she kept saying various things and at one point detained us. Even when her brother came and said he would give the money, he did not agree.”
Kasba Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Md. Asaduzzaman said, we have come to know about the matter. In view of the complaint, the concerned nurse has been relieved from duty. An investigation will be conducted against her. If the complaint is proven, necessary action will be taken including a departmental case. Brahmanbaria Civil Surgeon Md. Noman Mia said, in addition to removing the accused nurse from duty, a three-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident. Further action will be taken based on the investigation report.
The incident has created a sensation. There is a lot of discussion about it on social media. Complaints of money demand and disrespectful behavior from patients in government hospitals have created anger among the locals. They have demanded that the real truth of the incident be revealed through an investigation and action be taken against those responsible.