Barishal: Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain today said the government is setting up mobile hospitals to tackle dengue as part of its commitment to ensuring healthcare for all. ‘Ensuring good health for all is our election pledge. The government is working keeping that goal in mind. We are setting up mobile hospitals to tackle dengue,’ he told journalists after making surprise visits to different hospitals here this morning.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the health minister said one absent staff was closed for providing false information during the visit. He mentioned that directives were given to address issues with hospital brokers and to improve the environment and quality of services at hospitals. Additionally, he announced that Barishal Children Hospital would become fully operational within the next three to four months, and that one lakh manpower would be recruited in the health sector from next July.
Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain addressed the lack of allocation and recruitment in the health sector during the ’17 years of misrule’, emphasizing that solving all problems overnight was not feasible. On the measles-rubella situation, he stated that despite the absence of vaccines initially, the swift collection of vaccines was unprecedented. He noted that measles infections have not been completely halted and it would take time for children to develop immunity.
Regarding the dengue situation, the minister highlighted that the government has already taken preparations and is focusing more on preventive measures. He reiterated the initiative to establish mobile hospitals to combat dengue. The minister expressed his disinterest in conducting investigations at the moment, stating that saving lives, particularly children, was the primary concern.
Earlier in the day, around 10 a.m., the health minister arrived at Barishal 100-bed General Hospital, where he interacted with patients at the ticket counter, visited the office of the hospital superintendent, inspected the doctors’ attendance register, and toured the old building. A ticket clerk was closed on charges of negligence during the inspection. The minister also visited Barishal Children Hospital and Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, committing to inspect different hospitals in Barishal throughout the day.
He further mentioned that long-standing management issues at Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital and Barishal General Hospital would be addressed, with management committees set to be formed by tomorrow for both institutions.