Health hubs to overhaul rural healthcare: Minister Sakhawat

JOYPURHAT, Aug 24: The government is planning to overhaul grassroots healthcare infrastructure to ensure medical services for people in remote areas, with a health hub to be established in every union and a “health wellbeing centre” in every three wards, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Mohammad Sakhawat Husain said on Sunday.

The minister made the remarks while visiting Joypurhat General Hospital on Sunday afternoon.

He said health and family planning services would be provided under one roof at the health hubs, where doctors would be posted.

Health workers would also visit households to check blood pressure and diabetes and conduct preliminary screening for breast and cervical cancers, he said.

On expanding medical facilities, the minister said the number of beds at upazila-level hospitals was being increased to 151 and dialysis services were being introduced.

Ten dialysis machines would be installed at district hospitals and 50 machines at district headquarters hospitals, he added.

Regarding the shortage of teachers at medical colleges and ICU facilities, Sakhawat said teachers would be recruited and trained quickly, while closed ICUs and new medical colleges would be brought into operation.

He warned that negligence in duty would not be tolerated despite improvements in healthcare services.

The minister said the plans would be implemented within the next two to three years.

During his visit, Deputy Commissioner Al Mamun Mia, Civil Surgeon Dr Al Mamun, Joypurhat 400-bed Hospital Superintendent Dr Rashed Mobarak Jewel, and senior officials and doctors of the local health department were present.