We don't want to see anyone die without treatment: Health Minister

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Sakhawat Hossain has said  the government does not want to see anyone in the country die due to lack of medical treatment.

“Honourable Prime Minister is working to ensure good health for everyone. To improve the quality of healthcare services, we have started conducting direct inspections and monitoring at the grassroots level,” he said.

He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after making a surprise visit to the 250-bed Naogaon General Hospital on Sunday.

The minister inspected various wards, patients’ beds, the kitchen, bathrooms and the medicine supply system. He also spoke directly with patients undergoing treatment and their relatives about the quality of services and the behaviour of doctors and nurses.

After the inspection, the minister expressed satisfaction, saying he had received no negative feedback from service recipients. Rather, ordinary people told him that they were receiving better treatment than before.

The health minister announced a number of specific directives and initiatives to address the problems and irregularities identified.

He found that although the hospital has 250 beds, food allocations were available for only 100 beds. He said the process of increasing the daily food allocation per patient from Tk 175 to Tk 250 is nearing completion to improve the quality of meals provided to patients.

A nurse was warned for allegedly forcing a patient to purchase saline from outside despite the hospital having saline in stock. The hospital superintendent was also instructed to resolve the matter. In addition, the civil surgeon was instructed to take necessary action against Dr Deen Mohammad Sohel, who reportedly arrived at work 45 minutes late.

"To address the shortage of dialysis facilities in Naogaon, the tender process has begun to install 10 dialysis machines at the district hospital and 50 machines at the tertiary level as soon as possible. Dialysis units with 10 beds will also be introduced at upazila hospitals within the next two years." he confirmed.

A new nine-storey building will be constructed in Naogaon, adding specialised beds, a modern pathology laboratory and a physiotherapy unit. In addition, the government is introducing “Health Wellbeing Centres” at the union level and a five-tier referral system to expand healthcare services across the country.

Regarding irregularities at private clinics and diagnostic centres, the minister said strict nationwide drives and fines through mobile courts against unlicensed and unaccountable clinics are continuing.

He said, " government is undertaking long-term initiatives to modernise and bring discipline to the country’s entire healthcare sector, and urged everyone to remain patient and cooperate with the government."

kkh/MT