Health Minister Shakhawat Hossain said on Friday that the previous government left behind no ventilators or measles vaccines, saying the health system was rebuilt from scratch in several areas.
“The previous government did not leave behind a single ventilator or a single measles vaccine for us. We started with empty hands,” he said while speaking to journalists after inspecting the DNCC COVID-19 Hospital in Mohakhali.
The minister said international agencies including Gavi, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) had acknowledged Bangladesh’s rapid vaccine procurement efforts for its large population.
“Our doctors have been working very hard,” he said.
He said ventilators had now been installed across health facilities under the directives of the prime minister.
“Alhamdulillah, we have been able to provide ventilators in every place,” he said.
Shakhawat said the government would open 10 new ICU units in 10 districts next Tuesday. “Along with this, we are providing 12 ventilators in every place and one oxygen concentrator in each location so that more services can be provided,” he added.
On child health, the minister said no available treatment—locally or internationally—was being withheld, but stressed that malnutrition remained a major concern.
“We do not want to criticise the past, but children are supposed to receive vitamin A twice a year. In 2024, it was given only once. In 2025, no vitamin A campaign has taken place; we have now started it,” he said.
He said Bangladesh would receive a large consignment of vitamin A capsules from UNICEF by June 10, followed by a nationwide campaign.
The minister also highlighted broader nutrition challenges, including low breastfeeding rates and inadequate maternal nutrition.
“In cases of caesarean delivery, mothers are not being given colostrum. Due to various reasons, children are not able to grow with proper nutrition, which is why measles is attacking more,” he said.
“I also had measles. In earlier days, villagers used to call measles the elder brother of chickenpox. But now measles has taken a different form,” he added.
