The High Court yesterday said strikes observed by clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres to justify medical negligence were unethical.

Many people go abroad for treatment due to medical inadequacy and negligence in the country and therefore, a huge amount of foreign currency is spent, the court said, referring to the recent incidents in Chittagong.

Private clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres in Chittagong went on a strike after a mobile court of Rab conducted raids at four hospitals in the port city on Sunday.

On June 29, Raifa Khan, daughter of a senior journalist, died of alleged medical negligence at Max Hospital in Chittagong.

The hospital was widely criticised, with people demanding punishment of the doctors involved.

A government investigation, led by the civil surgeon in Chittagong, then found evidence of negligence in treatment of the three-year-old.

Yesterday, the HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader was hearing a rule issued over an incident of 20 people losing eyesight following surgeries at a hospital on March 5.

The bench asked the DG of the Directorate General of Health Services to submit a report before it by July 16 mentioning the causes why 20 people lost eyesight.

Following surgeries at the Impact Masudul Haque Memorial Community Health Centre in Chuadanga in early March, 20 patients lost their eyesight. 

The hospital authorities allegedly did not adopt appropriate precautions, Bangla daily Samakal reported on March 29.

Following a writ petition filed by the Supreme Court lawyer Amit Das Gupta, the HC on April 1 issued a rule asking the director and a physician of the facility in Chuadanga to explain why they should not be directed to give Tk 20 crore in compensation to the 20 patients.

Barrister M Amir-Ul Islam appeared for the hospital.