Men staying overnight in women's ward of Panchagarh hospital, patients embarrassed

Complaints have been raised about men freely entering and staying overnight in the ward reserved for female surgery patients on the second floor of Panchagarh Adhunik Sadar Hospital. This has raised concerns that women patients' personal privacy, safety and the normal environment for treatment are being disrupted.

A visit to the spot found that although the second floor is meant for female surgery patients, a significant number of men gather there. Many men, as relatives or close ones of patients, come to see their patients and stay for a long time instead of leaving. Some of them are even reported to stay overnight in the women's ward with the patients.

The treatment, rest and protection of personal privacy of women patients in a hospital's women's ward are extremely important. Considering the physical condition of surgery patients in particular, they need a quiet and safe environment. The free entry and overnight stay of men there can leave women patients uncomfortable.

At the same time, the protection of women patients' personal privacy has also come into question. Complaints say the presence of men in the women's ward is disrupting the normal environment of medical care for women patients.

A nurse, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: 'When we insert a cannula, the male relatives of patients stay in the women's surgery ward. Those men keep watching while injections are given to women patients. Even though we and the Ansar personnel on duty are present, they do not leave. As a result, the patients fall into an embarrassing situation, and we feel embarrassed too.'

Dr Md Mizanur Rahman, civil surgeon and superintendent of Adhunik Sadar Hospital, Panchagarh, said this is a long-standing problem that is not being resolved. According to him, despite repeated explanations from the hospital, patients' relatives stay for long periods in the women's surgery ward and spend the night there.

Conscious citizens argue that a relative may need to stay with a patient in hospital, but specific rules and controls are essential in this regard. In particular, the hospital authorities need clear instructions on who may enter the women's ward, how long they may stay, and who may stay with a patient at night.

In the view of conscious citizens, effective steps by the hospital authorities are urgently needed to control the free movement and overnight stay of men in the women's ward.

They believe that, if necessary, the safety of women patients and the quality of care can be ensured through arrangements such as female attendants, monitoring at the entrance, and controlling the entry of relatives through specific identity cards or permission slips.

Following these complaints about men staying in the women's surgery ward, patients and conscious citizens are now looking to the hospital authorities for clear instructions and effective action.