Elevator makes for a scary ride at DMCH outdoor

Among the 12 elevators in the premier Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), three are out of order and the rest are running in poor condition. Of these, the one at the outdoor department is particularly bad, putting to risk both hospital staff and around 3,000 people who visit the department every day. One such patient, Mustafa Kamal, recounted his experience when he had gone to DMCH to consult a doctor on Tuesday. Mustafa said when he went to the elevator at the outdoor department he saw that the space was empty and the scissor gate was also open. After a while, the elevator space started trembling and there was a loud noise. A hospital employee warned him to step aside as the elevator was coming down.

Two minutes later, the elevator came down with a trolley carrying a patient. But it stopped half-a-foot above the floor. “When I managed to get into the elevator, it started shaking while moving up. Besides, the buttons were out of order,” Mustafa said, sharing his ghastly experience with The Independent on Wednesday.

According to hospital sources, it was the second elevator installed after DMCH was established in 1946 and the oldest functioning one at the hospital at present. It is only around 50 metres away from the hospital director’s office.

The sources said the elevator gates always remain open and sometimes it gets stuck midway, triggering panic among patients using it.

A visit to the outdoor department revealed this to be true. Besides, there were no operators in most of the elevators in the hospital.

Keya Bose, who had come to the hospital with a patient, said she was shocked after seeing that the elevator went up from the ground floor with the scissor gate open and the ground space was dark.

“An accident can happen if the elevator runs this way without any operator. After watching this scenario, I preferred taking the stairs to the third floor,” she said, adding that the hospital authorities should either repair or close the elevator.

On their part, hospital authorities admitted to the problems with the elevator.

DMCH assistant director (administration) Dr Md Nasir Uddin said it was true that the patients using the elevator faced risks. “As it is the oldest elevator, the design is also old. It has no digital operating system. We are planning to install a new elevator for the outdoor department,” he added.

He, however, denied the absence of elevator operators. “The hospital has some operators for every elevator. We always monitor them,” he said.

 

Elevator makes for a scary ride at DMCH outdoor

Among the 12 elevators in the premier Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), three are out of order and the rest are running in poor condition. Of these, the one at the outdoor department is particularly bad, putting to risk both hospital staff and around 3,000 people who visit the department every day. One such patient, Mustafa Kamal, recounted his experience when he had gone to DMCH to consult a doctor on Tuesday. Mustafa said when he went to the elevator at the outdoor department he saw that the space was empty and the scissor gate was also open. After a while, the elevator space started trembling and there was a loud noise. A hospital employee warned him to step aside as the elevator was coming down. Two minutes later, the elevator came down with a trolley carrying a patient. But it stopped half-a-foot above the floor. When I managed to get into the elevator, it started shaking while moving up. Besides, the buttons were out of order, Mustafa said, sharing his ghastly experience with The Independent on Wednesday. According to hospital sources, it was the second elevator installed after DMCH was established in 1946 and the oldest functioning one at the hospital at present. It is only around 50 metres away from the hospital directors office. The sources said the elevator gates always remain open and sometimes it gets stuck midway, triggering panic among patients using it. A visit to the outdoor department revealed this to be true. Besides, there were no operators in most of the elevators in the hospital. Keya Bose, who had come to the hospital with a patient, said she was shocked after seeing that the elevator went up from the ground floor with the scissor gate open and the ground space was dark. An accident can happen if the elevator runs this way without any operator. After watching this scenario, I preferred taking the stairs to the third floor, she said, adding that the hospital authorities should either repair or close the elevator. On their part, hospital authorities admitted to the problems with the elevator. DMCH assistant director (administration) Dr Md Nasir Uddin said it was true that the patients using the elevator faced risks. As it is the oldest elevator, the design is also old. It has no digital operating system. We are planning to install a new elevator for the outdoor department, he added. He, however, denied the absence of elevator operators. The hospital has some operators for every elevator. We always monitor them, he said.