As many as 176 patients left the Ad-Din Hospital’s Moghbazar branch, most without completing their treatment, as of 2:30pm on Friday, almost a day after the government cancelled the hospital’s license.

Many left for getting admitted to other hospitals and continue their treatment, after the government issued a 24-hour timeline for them to relocate to other health facilities.

At a press conference on Friday, Ad-Din Foundation Director Tarikul Islam said 426 patients were receiving treatment at the hospital when the license cancellation was announced on Thursday afternoon.

On Friday afternoon, only about 250 patients remained.

Those still unwilling to move include critical patients admitted at the intensive care unit (ICU), newborn unit, and coronary care unit (CCU).

Notably, no new patient has got admitted after the license cancellation.

Tarikul Islam told reporters that the hospital authorities would strictly adhere to government instructions, and would ensure that patients do not suffer from any troubles during these critical times.

The hospital would also appeal against the license cancellation within the stipulated time. Hopefully, the government would grant the appeal and allow normal hospital operations to resume in view of the greater good of the general people, Tarikul added.

The concerned “death-plagued” post-delivery ward that has led to the current crisis has been sealed off, and would undergo all the necessary revamp within the next three months, Tarikul pledged at the press conference on behalf of the hospital management.

On 27 May, a day before the holy Eid-ul-Azha, six newborns died at a post-delivery ward at the hospital. A government high-level probe committee found gross negligence, mismanagement and longstanding violations of essential guidelines that contributed to the deaths.

The government gave the Ad-Din Hospital authorities five days to give an appropriate explanation of the violations. Later, the authorities found the response unsatisfactory and decided to revoke operational license.