Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain on Saturday paid a surprise visit to Phulpur Upazila Health Complex in the district and ordered transfer of a nurse for negligence of duty.
He also directed deduction of one day’s salary of four doctors for remaining absent from their workplace without prior permission, said a press release.
After the inspection, the health minister told journalists that the government is working to bring the country’s health sector to a level that meets public expectations and ensures people’s satisfaction, in line with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s directives.
Noting that the government has taken various initiatives to resolve long-standing problems in the health sector, he said, “Cleanliness activities at hospitals are being strengthened, medicine supplies are being increased and adequate stocks of saline have been ensured.”
Sakhawat expressed the hope that significant progress in the health sector would become visible within the next few months.
He also said the government plans to invite tenders worth several thousand crore taka within the next 15 days as part of its efforts to develop and restructure the health sector.
This tender is aimed at improving various healthcare institutions across the country, including upazila health complexes, the minister said.
Besides, he said, initiatives are being taken to establish modern pathological laboratories at upazila-level hospitals so that diagnostic facilities can be expanded at the grassroots level.
Later, the minister made another surprise visit to the nearby Tarakanda Upazila Health Complex in Mymensingh.