Health Minister Prof Dr Samanta Lal Sen on Sunday asked Deputy Commissioners to continue the ongoing special drives against illegal private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres across the country and keep their activities under constant watch.
He sought cooperation of the DCs in shutting down illegally-run healthcare facilities at the district level.
"I urge DCs to extend their sincere cooperation to the ongoing drive against unauthorised healthcare facilities to improve the healthcare system," he told media after addressing DCs at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.
In on the first day of the four-day conference of the Deputy Commissioners.
After inauguration by the Prime Minister, separate sessions were held with Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen, State Minister for Dr Rokeya Sultata, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, Prime Ministers Advisor on Education and Cultural Affairs Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, State Minister for Education Shamsun Naher Chapa and State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Rumana Ali, Social Welfare Minister Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Youth and Sports Minister Nazmul Hasan, State Minister for Women and Children Shimin Hossain Rimi, secretaries and senior officials of the concerned ministries and divisions also attended.
Later, a discussion on Field Administration in Development was also held chaired by Cabinet Secretary M Mahbub Hossain.
Later, Dr Samanta Lal told reporters that the drive against unauthorised healthcare facilities will continue as dishonest elements were running healthcare establishments out of pure profit motive.
"There will be zero tolerance against such healthcare establishments to save people," he said, adding the government directed the relevant agencies to remain alert against illegally run hospitals, clinics and diagnostics centres."
State Minister for Health Dr Rokeya Sultana laid emphasis on collective efforts to remove different malpractices and problems affecting the health sector to ensure smooth medical services to the people.
"Public as well as private hospitals, clinics and diagnostics centres must be properly equipped to ensure quality treatment to the patients," Samanta said.
Private healthcare facilities must follow rules set by the government to ensure quality medical service, he added.
The government does not want to shut down private healthcare facilities unless they falter, he said.
"But all private hospitals, clinics and diagnostics centres must recruit adequate number of skilled healthcare professionals and must be equipped with the needed testing facilities."
"We have shut down 1,227 unregistered clinics and diagnostics centres in the past one month. We are continuing the drive against unauthorised healthcare facilities," Samanta added.
After addressing the DCs, Education Minister Mahibul Hasan told reporters that the DCs were asked to take legal action promptly if allegations of sexual harassment are made against any educational institution.
He told DCs, "If allegations of sexual harassment are raised at educational institutes, the police should promptly take action as per the existing law even if the complaint is under investigation by any committee.
Instructions have been given so that the trial proceedings are not delayed on the pretext of inquiry."
Mohibul said, "The DCs raised many issues. But they did not raise any negative issue about the new curriculum. So we can assume that the teaching and learning process of the curriculum has been accepted by teachers and parents."
He said that the issue of unregistered madrasahs came up for discussion. "We have to work with the Madrasah Education Board to solve the issue," he said.
Other issues discussed included raising awareness about technical education and payment of salaries and allowances through EFT at secondary and higher secondary schools and madrasahs under MPO, among other issues.
