In keeping up with its periodical check and surveillance of the private health sector, it is good to see that the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has again launched a raid operation against illegal clinics and diagnostics centres in the country. Being in line with a similar raid that was organized three months ago, the raid was scheduled to begin yesterday.
As opposed to previous efforts, the effort to rule out such corruption from the medical sector has been strengthened -- scheduled to run a total of four days this time instead of the previously scheduled three.
All in all, this is a government initiative that deserves applause. For too long has our health sector been marred with unscrupulous practices, and as always, it is the people who suffer as a result. It goes without saying that the authorities should keep on organizing such campaigns on a regular basis.
During the last campaign, more than 1,600 illegal institutions were closed. Aside from the obvious health benefits of such activity, there was also a revenue of Tk25 crore generated. The number of malpractice-related deaths have comparatively gone down as well. All of this is positive, and shows that these raids are bringing much needed change.
The modus operandi of such an effort has to be tightened up. Government agencies themselves have to be put under relevant checks and balances, and any kind of crime regarding the authority’s negligence of their work has to be punished accordingly.
It is everyone's right to lead a safe and healthy life -- especially in this day and age, in a country such as ours that wants to be an equitable nation for its people. No one should be allowed to take advantage of that.
