Teknaf, Bangladesh: According to a refugee leader, refugee patients with serious medical problems have been facing many difficulties in getting proper medical treatment from concerned authorities at Nayapara Camp because of the authorities’ negligence, even as refugees face a multitude of severe, chronic diseases.

For instance, Ansar Ullah, a 28 year-old refugee schoolteacher of MRC #54173, Block #H, Shed #655, Room #1, at Nayapara Camp has been suffering from a disease since one year ago, and he is unable to walk well. When he was examined at a private hospital in Cox’s Bazaar, stones were found in his kidney. He needs a lot of money to pay for proper treatment, said a friend of the patient from the camp.

As a result, recently, the patient Ansar Ullah approached Medical Team Leader (MTL) Dr. Mobin of the Ministry of Health (MoH) for treatment. Though he visited Dr. Mobin many times for treatment, he neither gave treatment nor referred the patient to Cox’s Bazaar or Chittagong Hospital through the UNHCR, the friend continued.

In addition, Dr. Bulbul (medical co-coordinator) and Dr. Faruk (medical officer for two camps, Nayapara and Kutupalong), both representatives of the UNHCR, requested Dr. Mobin to refer the patient to Cox’s Bazaar or Chittagong Hospital, but Dr. Mobin has ignored the request.

Dr. Faruk and Dr. Bulbul are the persons responsible for selecting patients to refer to other places. If both doctors refer a patient to receive medical treatment at another place, Dr. Mobin has the responsibility to send the patient to a suitable place. However, Dr. Mobin often neglects the welfare of his patients, said another refugee from the camp.

In such a way, many patients in the refugee camps with serious diseases have long been suffering due to the negligence of Dr. Mobin. There are many patients with chronic diseases, such as eye diseases, beriberi disease, gastric problems and ulcers, heart disease, neurological disease, and speaking problems.

For example, Gul Bahar, age 45, of MRC #41652 has a neurological disease, while Hamid Hussain, age 55, of MRC #34584, and Shamshu Alam, age 16, of MRC #16869, are both suffering from beriberi disease.       

Sometimes, when the patients’ condition is intolerable, they behave inappropriately. “Dr. Mobin always says refugees are boorish,” said a patient from the camp.

A refugee leader who declined to be named said that concerned international agencies provide funds to refer refugee patients to better medical facilities when necessary, but Dr. Mobin neglects to do so. “We would like to request the concerned donor agencies to investigate this issue and encourage health care to be given properly so that we can be cured from painful diseases,” said the refugee leader.