Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said her government is considering engaging retired physician and nurses by giving them proper training to ensure treatment for all Covid-19 patients.
“We can make better use of the retired physicians and nurses after giving them proper training in tackling the crisis arising out of the coronavirus pandemic,” she said, while exchanging views with public representatives and officials of nine districts of Dhaka division through videoconference, from her official Ganabhaban residence in Dhaka, reports BSS.
She stated that the country has more shortage of nurses than that of physicians.
Retired nurses would be the best possible option to meet the current demand of nurses to ensure Medicare services for all the Covid-19 patients, she observed.
The premier also asked authorities concerned to prepare more beds in hospitals to ensure treatment for the freshly infected Covid-19 patients, although several hospitals have already been dedicated for the purpose.
She said labs have already been set up at 17 locations which are collecting samples of suspected Covid-19 patients and dead bodies with coronavirus symptoms.
“There are plenty of personnel protection equipment (PPEs). Each and every physician and nurse has been given the PPEs,” she added, reports BSS.
When her attention was drawn from Narayanganj and Gopalganj districts to the installation of PCR labs at the districts for quicker testing of the Covid-19 patients, the premier asked the local authorities to take prompt measures to send the samples to nearby districts which have the facilities and send the test reports online.
The premier also asked health ministry officials from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), present in the videoconference, to take measures to install PCR lab at Narayanganj. In response they said it would take time to install the lab.
The health ministry officials informed the premier that they have already taken initiatives in setting up PCR lab at Faridpur district and its operation is set to commence in two days.
Referring to the global statistics of deaths and infections by Covid-19, the premier said 50 people have so far died of the disease in Bangladesh, adding: “The situation is still under control as the government has taken measures since very beginning of the coronavirus outbreak.”
She, however, expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members of those who died of coronavirus, and prayed for early recovery of those suffering from the disease.
The premier urged all concerned authorities to take effective measures to stop further spread of coronavirus in their respective districts.
“Take hot water and seasonal local foods to boost your immune system to fight the coronavirus,” she said, calling upon the people to take necessary precautionary measures for personal and family protection.
