Dhaka: State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. M A Muhit today emphasized the importance of establishing internationally certified diagnostic laboratories in Bangladesh to alleviate the burden on patients seeking medical treatment abroad and to conserve foreign exchange.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Muhit made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a policy seminar organized by the Bangladesh Accreditation Board (BAB) at the Bangladesh Institute of Management. He pointed out that a significant number of people travel overseas every year for medical care, largely due to a lack of confidence in the test results from domestic laboratories. As a consequence, foreign physicians often mandate patients to repeat the same tests upon arrival, leading to increased costs and delays.
Dr. Muhit suggested that the establishment of more internationally accredited laboratories in the country could allow patients to complete necessary diagnostic tests domestically, significantly lowering their treatment costs. He noted that while Bangladesh boasts over 10,000 laboratories, only a small fraction have achieved international accreditation.
He urged laboratory owners and management to recognize the importance of accreditation without the need for immediate legal enforcement, suggesting that understanding the benefits of maintaining quality standards would naturally drive them towards seeking accreditation.
Highlighting broader issues, Dr. Muhit mentioned that the government has been actively monitoring hospitals and clinics to uphold quality standards since taking office, with the aim of restoring public confidence in the healthcare system. He stressed that the healthcare sector’s advancement relies not only on hospitals or physicians but also on tackling food adulteration, ensuring precise diagnostics, and bolstering preventive healthcare services to combat serious diseases like cancer, kidney disease, and liver disease.
The seminar also featured speeches by Industries Secretary Abdun Naser Khan, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Prabhat Chandra Biswas, and representatives from the Bangladesh Accreditation Board and the health sector.