The health authorities of the country shut down and imposed fines on a number of unauthorized private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres in several districts on Tuesday as part of its plan to strengthen supervision and ensure improved facilities.
At least 13 hospitals and testing labs were sealed off in Brahmanbaria, Bandarban and Mymensingh districts during the drives, led by health services officials and magistrates.
In Brahmanbaria, a team headed by Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Dr Md Shakhawat Hossain closed down six hospitals and diagnostic centres which did not have licences.
Moreover, the management of several other hospitals and labs were warned that those would be shut down if they failed to address the irregularities identified by the health authorities soon.
In Mymensingh, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer (UHFPO) Dr Muhammad Nurul Huda Khan and his team raided nearly a dozen health facilities in Iswarganj Upazila and sealed off one.
The officials partially shut down the X-ray units at two hospitals and seized some date-expired items, and ordered 6-7 others to have their licences renewed. Sensing the presence of the officials, the management at two diagnostic centres fled the scene.
In Bandarban, the UHFPO of Lama, Dr Moinuddin Morshed, sealed off six diagnostic centres in the municipality and Rupshipara Union yesterday.
Four of the labs had no licence while two pharmacies were shut down for admitting patients in violation of rules.
In Rangpur, Executive Magistrate Aminul Islam conducted raids in several hospitals, labs and chambers, and fined the owners Tk50,000 over different irregularities.
Asked, the magistrate said the drives would be carried out in the unauthorized facilities in phases.
From May 27 till Monday, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) took action against over 1,300 health facilities across the country.
The consumer rights authorities also raided facilities on May 29-30 and slapped fines on hospitals and pharmacies over irregularities.
On Monday, the health authorities said that the closed hospitals and labs would be able to reopen once they met the conditions set by the government.