Dhaka:The government has successfully added a total of 3,048 beds to various government hospitals nationwide over the past eight and a half months. This initiative aims to address the healthcare needs of the population and improve patient care in public hospitals.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, this measure was implemented following the current government's assumption of office on February 17. The goal is to ensure better healthcare services and sufficient hospital beds for patients in government facilities. Documents from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reveal decisions made between April 28 and October 19, including the approval of two new public medical colleges in Thakurgaon and Narsingdi, on May 15 and June 14, respectively.
The bed capacity at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura was increased from 1,200 to 1,800 on September 8. Additionally, Mugda Medical College Hospital in the capital and Dinajpur Medical College Hospital saw their capacities doubled from 500 to 1,000 beds each on May 21. Rajshahi Medical College Hospital added 100 beds, increasing to 1,300, while Rajbari Sadar Hospital and Joypurhat General Hospital expanded their capacities on July 13. Several other hospitals across the country, including those in Narsingdi, Cox's Bazar, and Kishoreganj, also saw significant bed additions.
Moreover, the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital in Dhaka expanded its capacity from 500 to 700 beds, and the National Institute of ENT in Tejgaon, Dhaka, now accommodates 250 patients. The government aims to upgrade all upazila health complexes to 151-bed facilities, with a revised plan adopted on August 12 for gradual upgrades.
Director (Hospital and Clinics) of the Directorate General of Health Services, Professor Dr. Md Nurul Islam, emphasized that access to treatment in public hospitals is a constitutional right. The government's efforts to increase hospital bed capacity are intended to prevent difficulties in securing beds during disease outbreaks, such as measles and dengue. Dr. Islam anticipates significant improvements in the healthcare system once upazila health complexes are upgraded to 151-bed facilities within the next year.