Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain on Friday said he would take a strict stance against irregularities in hospitals during an inspection of Mugda Medical College Hospital in Dhaka.
He said: “Either I will remain, or irregularities in hospitals will.”
During the inspection, the minister found evidence supporting complaints that patients were being sent outside for medical tests despite the hospital having facilities to conduct blood and other tests under government management.
He visited different wards, spoke to patients and their relatives, and examined medical documents and test reports.
Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain said: “The complaint I heard and came here to investigate is 100% true. Despite government hospitals having testing facilities to detect dengue, I found evidence that people from outside diagnostic centers were coming and collecting blood samples from patients.”
He said: “There are facilities here. People come from outside and take blood from here. Are they blind? There are doctors here. Will they not see?”
The minister said: “The government has arrangements to provide necessary tests to patients free of charge. Even after that, if people from outside come and collect samples from patients, we will investigate who is involved.”
During the visit, patients and their relatives also told the minister about various problems at the hospital. They particularly complained that the lifts are not operated regularly, forcing patients and relatives to move between different floors for tests.
The health minister also spoke about the dengue situation. He said hospitals are prepared to handle the pressure of dengue patients and that treatment capacity would be increased if the number of patients rises.
He said nationwide cleanliness and preventive campaigns would also be strengthened to prevent dengue.
The minister said field inspections to identify irregularities in the health sector would continue.