The Directorate General of Health Services has temporarily suspended all activities of Praava Health due to alleged "anomalies."
There have been some complaints regarding the services of the private healthcare organization including providing faulty reports, said Dr Farid Hossain Miah, director of hospitals and clinics at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
After finding proof of the anomalies in the operations of Praava Health, which provides door-to-door services, the organisation’s activities have been suspended and further investigations will be carried out in this regard, he added.
A probe committee, after visiting the organization, found irregularities such as charging Tk150 extra for registration after the Tk2,500 charge per Covid-19, donning and doffing of PPE in the same room which is hazardous, among others, said a DGHS statement published on Monday.
Earlier, the Department of Health launched an investigation into allegations that Praava Health had provided false reports of Covid-19 tests. The allegation was made by Mahfuz Shafique, son of former law minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed.
An investigation committee was formed by the DGHS.
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The victim, Mahfuz Shafique, said that on July 7, his wife Farzana Rahman, two daughters Bayana Shafique and Jain Shafique gave samples to Praava Health for Covid-19 tests as it was mandatory for those travelling abroad to have a Covid-19 negative certificate. They were scheduled to go to the US on July 9.
On the night of July 7, his wife received an SMS saying that she was Covid-19 positive. After a while, in a separate SMS, Praava Health informed the family that their two daughters were also Covid positive.
Doubting the results, Mahfuz Shafique contacted Praava Health but its staff assured him that all their equipment were brand new and there was no chance of such mistakes.
Mahfuz Shafique's father Shafique Ahmed is 85 years old and his mother Prof Mahfuza Khanam, who is a former vice president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU), is 76 years old.
He became apprehensive about their all living together as well as becoming concerned if he had been infected as well.
So he gave samples at Green Life Hospital and his Covid-19 test came out negative.
Then on July 8, Mahfuz Shafique gave samples of 20 people, including his family, to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control And Research (IEDCR). On July 9, they were all declared Covid-19 negative by the IEDCR.
Mahfuz Shafique said: "As a victim, I have officially sent letters about the injustice done to me to the Health Minister, the Health secretary, the director general of the Health Directorate, the inspector general of Police and the DG of RAB."
"Praava's false report has taken the whole family by storm. My wife and children’s flight was cancelled. I don't want this to happen to anyone else.”
Praava Health CEO Sylvana Q Sinha and Communication Head Kutub Kamal could not be reached over phone.
