The local administration and the health department have intensified drives against the privately-run diagnostic centres and clinics in Chittagong.
On November 17, the Department of Narcotics Control sealed off a drug rehabilitation center in Chittagong’s CDA residential area of Agrabad for operating it illegally without a licence.
Rasheduzzaman, deputy director of Narcotics Control Department Chittagong Metro, said Mon Niramoy Kendra was operating illegally without a licence so the mobile court sealed it off during the raid.
Imran, the owner of the mental health centre, could not be found during the operation.
Anwara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Jubayer Ahmed during a raid in Battali area of the upazila on November 17 sealed off Ideal Clinic, Public Service Diagnostic Centre and Dr Nazrul Islam’s chamber due to various irregularities including failure to show licence for operation.
Meanwhile, a team led by Chittagong civil surgeon inspected 14 private facilities in the city and shut down the x-ray departments of four facilities for different irregularities.
On November 21, the health department and Chittagong district administration jointly conducted a drive at a private clinic in the city.
Later, Executive Magistrate of Chittagong district administration Ali Hasan fined People’s Hospital Tk1 lakh for different anomalies.
Besides, a private facility of the city “City Health Clinic” was sealed off on November 11 for not renewing licence and keeping date-expired medicines.
Around six months ago, a patient died at the clinic while undergoing an abortion. Later, the family of the deceased filed a case in this connection.
‘No leniency would be shown’
Chittagong Civil Surgeon Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said that they have intensified drives against the errant facilities and no leniency would be shown in this regard.
Hailing the ongoing drives against the substandard facilities, SM Nazer Hossain, vice president of Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh told Dhaka Tribune that the authorities concerned should intensify monitoring and take stern action against the errant clinics and diagnostic centres.
“Scores of private clinics and pathological laboratories have sprung up like toadstools in the lanes and by-lanes of the premier port city either without obtaining a licence or without renewing it for decades. The patients cannot but crowd the privately run diagnostic centres after failing to receive services from the state-run hospitals and health centres,” said Nazer.
“The malpractice in the diagnostic centres is eroding people’s confidence in healthcare services and causes the outflow of a substantial amount of foreign currency every year from the country. Exemplary punishment should be meted out to the errant diagnostic centres for deceiving people with a promise to provide healthcare services,” demanded the consumer rights official.