Rajshahi: Md. Kamruzzaman Chowdhury, secretary of the Health Services Division under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, expressed regret over the deaths of children who were waiting for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) treatment at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH). He spoke to journalists at the hospital on Tuesday afternoon and acknowledged certain limitations.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Secretary conveyed his sadness regarding the children’s deaths and highlighted the limitations faced by the hospital. RMCH currently has only 12 ICU beds for children, causing newly-admitted children to wait for a bed to become available. The situation is further complicated by an outbreak of measles among children, increasing the demand for ICU care and putting pressure on hospital resources.
Health Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman and Acting Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Professor Dr. Pravat Chandra Biswas visited the hospital to discuss these challenges. They inspected various wards and the ICU and later addressed the media. In an effort to alleviate the situation, they secured seven ventilators from organizations in Dhaka and plan to transfer children without infectious diseases to the Rajshahi Heart Foundation for ICU support.
Plans to improve the infrastructure of other hospitals in Rajshahi were also announced, with intentions to make the Rajshahi Shishu Hospital partially operational within three months. Outpatient services will commence first, with additional services planned for the next fiscal year.
The Secretary also addressed the impact of past health workers’ strikes on measles vaccinations, noting that missed vaccinations may have contributed to the outbreak. To address this, the procurement committee has approved Taka 604 crore for vaccine purchases, and vaccination for children, including measles, will begin soon.