Dr. Zakia Sultana (Nahid)

Dr. Zakia Sultana Nahid did her time in the government clinics. BCS health. Probably saw a hundred patients a day in some rural upazila years ago. Now she is a consultant in gynae oncology. She has two FCPS degrees. One for regular gynae. One for cancer. The waiting room outside her door is usually very quiet. Women do not talk much when they are waiting for biopsy results. They just hold their bags in their laps. She sits inside. Looking at pelvic ultrasounds. The black and white scans printed on glossy paper. She just reads the measurements.

She takes them behind the screen. The examination bed has a thin mattress. She checks for masses. Ovarian lumps. Cervical issues. It is awkward. She just tells them to relax. Washes her hands at the small sink. Then she sits back at her desk. Tells them the news. It is usually bad news in this department. They cry. She just pushes the tissue box closer to them. Waits for them to stop. Writes down the dates for surgery or chemo. No long speeches about hope. Just the next steps.

Up in the OT she does the heavy surgeries. Taking out everything. Uterus. Ovaries. Lymph nodes. Takes a few hours. She stands there under the hot lights. The nurses hand her the clamps. She puts the removed tissue in small plastic jars filled with formalin. Smells sharp. She finishes the stitching. Writes the operation notes on a clipboard. Takes off her gloves. Leaves the room.