Patient's Death: Allegations of Negligence Against United Hospital

Complaints of Medical Negligence Filed Against United Hospital

Two complaints have been lodged against United Hospital, alleging medical negligence and inadequate post-operative care, which reportedly led to the death of an elderly patient.

Mohammad Rakib Uddin, son of the deceased Velayet Hussain (80), submitted the complaints earlier this month to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC). He has requested a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his father's death and is seeking justice.

According to Rakib’s written complaints, his father required an aortic valve replacement and was presented with two options: open-heart surgery or the less invasive yet more expensive Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI). The procedure was carried out at United Hospital on December 9, 2024.

However, serious complications arose during the operation, leading to uncontrolled internal bleeding. Velayet Hussain succumbed to his condition on January 9, 2025. The family later learned that the TAVI procedure had inadvertently punctured his heart, resulting in severe hemorrhage.

Rakib further alleged that the hospital’s post-operative care was highly inadequate. He claimed that despite his father's critical state, he was transferred to a general room in a wheelchair instead of receiving the necessary medical attention. Additionally, he accused the hospital of assigning junior nurses to his father’s care without proper supervision from senior medical professionals.

He also pointed out that no medical board was convened to reassess his father's condition, alleging that poor coordination among doctors worsened the situation.

In response, United Hospital’s General Manager for Communication and Business Development, Md Fazlarabbi Khan, refuted the allegations, stating that the complainant was making these claims out of misunderstanding. He asserted that the hospital maintains high standards of medical care and noted that only a few healthcare institutions in Bangladesh perform the TAVI procedure.

Khan further stated that Rakib had not filed any formal complaint directly with the hospital. He added that United Hospital had not yet been contacted by DGHS or BMDC regarding any inquiry into the matter.