Cumilla:The government has announced plans to establish an ambulance pool across the country starting from the next fiscal year to facilitate patient transportation, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain revealed on Wednesday.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the initiative aims to alleviate the difficulties faced by patients in arranging ambulances for hospital visits. The announcement came as the minister spoke to journalists after visiting the Muradnagar Upazila Health Complex in Cumilla, amid ongoing challenges at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where patients and families have been struggling due to a strike by private ambulance operators. The operators, demanding designated parking facilities, have temporarily suspended their strike for seven days.
Sakhawat highlighted the government's efforts to expand healthcare services at the upazila level, recalling late President Ziaur Rahman's introduction of 19-bed hospitals and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's upgrades to 31 and 50-bed facilities. He stated that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman plans further upgrades to 151-bed facilities, along with enhancing essential medical services and facilities.
The minister also noted improvements in the management of Muradnagar Upazila Health Complex but acknowledged some irregularities found during the visit. At another event in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria, Sakhawat criticized a previous regime for damaging the health sector through corruption, asserting that the current government seeks to ensure transparency, accountability, and quality healthcare services.
He revealed plans for tendering projects worth Tk 16,000 crore and ongoing efforts to establish specialized treatment centers for cancer, kidney, and heart diseases in all eight divisions. Additionally, five children's hospitals are set to open in the next two months, and 1,150 dialysis machines are being procured to improve healthcare services domestically and reduce the need for patients to seek treatment abroad.