Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen warned on Sunday, negligence of doctors serving government hospitals will be not be tolerated.
"Negligence of doctors serving government hospitals will be not be tolerated as even a minor incident of negligence in hospitals can end life. I will not tolerate any negligence of the doctors," he said while addressing a dialogue hosted by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) at the Media Centre of the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Chaired by BSRF President Fasih Uddin Mahtab, the dialogue was moderated by BSRF General Secretary Masudul Haque.
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Rokeya Sultana attended the event. Samanta said that he took instant action against some doctors, not found at work places during duty hours including in Sylhet.
"When I found some doctors absent from workplaces during my visits, they were suspended," he said, adding, "I have plans to visit some hospitals outside the capital. If anyone is found absent in workplaces, they will be punished immediately."
"But, the main problem is everyone knows about surprise visits of a minister there is protocol surrounding such visits. I told officials that I want to pay surprise visits to hospitals in auto-rickshaws. Now I visit the hospitals during my tours to different districts. But, not on the first day. During my tours, I suddenly visit different hospitals randomly," he added.
Regarding the conflict between Dhaka Medical College Hospital authorities and journalists, Samanta Sen said, "DMCH Director Brig Gen Md Asaduzzaman has given an order to its doctors directing not to give any interview or statement to the journalists. It has created negative reaction among the journalists."
"I have called the DMCH director to know about the reason of such decision. I have wrong information about the matter. The director has met at my office today and briefed me about the matter. I have instructed him that the journalists will do their work as they like. I have clearly instructed him that no further conflict or discrimination should be created in the hospital," he said. He said, "Its true that I also face some situations sometimes. I have tackled some major incidents including the Nimtali fire incident.
He said, journalists should be handled carefully. But, he failed to handle the situation. I instructed him clearly that not to misbehave with journalists, said Samanta.
