Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has suspended the operations of two private medical facilities and partially closed two others following a surprise raid at Muktijoddha Tower-1 in the capital’s College Gate area.
The operation, conducted on Tuesday, targeted several private hospitals, diagnostic centres, and blood banks.
Inspecting teams from the DGHS Hospital and Clinic Section uncovered serious irregularities, including licensing issues, acute manpower shortages, and unhygienic environments.
Out of the seven institutions inspected, two were completely shut down, two were partially closed, and three were served with show-cause notices.
Facilities closed indefinitely
The DGHS ordered the immediate cessation of all activities at TG Multi-Specialised Hospital and Diagnostic Centre and Prime Blood Bank until further notice. Investigations revealed that the licence for TG Multi-Specialised Hospital had expired three years ago.
Furthermore, the facility failed to produce appointment letters for duty doctors or nurses, and no specialists were found in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Prime Blood Bank was found closed during the inspection, a direct violation of its licensing conditions.
Partial closures and patient transfers
Jamuna Hospital and Prime Orthopaedic and General Hospital faced partial closures due to severe operational lapses.
Jamuna Hospital was found to be operating with an expired licence, admitting patients beyond its sanctioned bed capacity, and lacking established protocols for its Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Besides, its ICU, NICU, and indoor services have been suspended, and the DGHS directed the transfer of four undergoing patients to other hospitals.
Prime Orthopaedic and General Hospital had its ICU, NICU, and Operation Theatre (OT) activities suspended. The facility was reportedly operating an ICU without specialist doctors and was accused of misleading patients through the creation of fraudulent bills.
Show-cause notices and summons
Three other institutions—Royal Multispeciality Hospital, Dhaka Health Care Hospital, and Radium Blood Bank and TC – were issued show-cause notices for various discrepancies.
Royal Multispeciality Hospital was ordered to suspend its OT and diagnostic services and provide an explanation for the lack of gender-segregated wards and the absence of a post-operative room.
Dhaka Health Care Hospital’s management was summoned to explain how it operated a 50-bed facility with inadequate space and no bathroom in the male ward. Radium Blood Bank has been given three working days to explain discrepancies between its online database and its actual on-site manpower.
The DGHS inspection team has summoned the owners and responsible officials of the accused institutions to appear at the Directorate between 5 and 8 April with all necessary documentation.
