Kidney patients will no longer have to travel to Dhaka for dialysis as the government plans to expand the service across the country, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain said on Sunday.
The government will establish 50-bed dialysis units at every medical college hospital and 10-bed units at hospitals in all district headquarters, he said.
The minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after an unannounced inspection of Naogaon 250-bed General Hospital yesterday morning. He visited different wards and spoke to patients during the inspection.
According to the minister, a total of 60 dialysis machines will be installed at the district level. With each machine running three daily treatment sessions, 180 patients will be able to receive services every day.
He added that the tender process has already been completed, and the machines will be installed within three months.
Outlining longer-term decentralisation plans, the minister said 10 dialysis beds would be established at the upazila level within the next two years.
He noted that the Development Project Proposal (DPP) for building construction has been prepared, and tenders will be invited soon.
Highlighting specific plans for Naogaon Hospital, the minister announced that its capacity is being expanded to 151 beds.
Although it was initially announced that the hospital would be upgraded from 50 to 101 beds, the government has now decided to increase the capacity further to 151 beds.
The newly upgraded hospital will feature 25 beds dedicated to women and 20 beds for children. It will also include separate physiotherapy wards for men and women, staffed by two doctors.
“The facility will be equipped with a state-of-the-art pathology lab, ultrasound machine, and other necessary medical equipment,” the minister said.
He added that a nine-storey building will be constructed on vacant land, and the old building will be expanded if its foundation is found to be suitable.
Speaking on the shortage of medical professionals, the minister noted that adequate recruitment of new doctors had not taken place over the past 17 years.
To address this deficit, the government has initiated the recruitment of 5,000 doctors, 2,500 nurses, and 2,500 pharmacists.
Interviews for doctors are currently underway at the Public Service Commission (PSC), and the minister expressed optimism that sufficient medical staff will be available within the next year.
The minister also addressed the state of private healthcare, observing that private hospitals and clinics had operated without accountability for the past 17 years. “We are now shutting down institutions that do not possess a valid licence,” he warned.
He added that mobile courts, led jointly by Deputy Commissioners and Civil Surgeons, are actively conducting operations and imposing fines on illegal private healthcare establishments.
Reflecting on his administration’s brief tenure, the minister remarked, “It has only been six months for us. Please give us a little more time. For 18 to 20 years, there was no accountability in the country. We have started our work”.
Noting that the prime minister is extremely serious about these reforms, he voiced confidence in significantly developing the healthcare sector.
Also present during the minister’s visit were Naogaon-5 lawmaker Jahidul Islam Dholu; Mohammad Saiful Islam, deputy commissioner; AM Akhteruzzaman, superintendent of Naogaon Hospital; Aminul Islam, civil surgeon; alongside other senior officials from the health department.
