The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad has recommended increasing focus on reviewing current vaccine stocks, dengue prevention, and improving the overall quality of healthcare services across the country.
The recommendations were made during the committee’s first meeting held at Parliament Building on Wednesday.
Presided over by Committee Chairman SM Rafiqul Islam, the parliamentary body called for greater attention to family planning, care for pregnant mothers, child marriage prevention, and school health education programmes.
According to meeting sources, the committee also recommended strengthening satellite clinics, maintaining high awareness regarding healthcare quality improvement, remaining corruption-free, and staying alert to the “activities of fascists”.
To ensure the smooth operation of hospitals, the committee advised initiating the recruitment of necessary manpower. The committee was briefed that efforts to expand service scope at each Upazila Health Complex are ongoing, while the setting up of ICUs, dialysis centres, and treatment centres for cancer, kidney, and heart diseases at district headquarters hospitals is currently underway.
The meeting was further informed about “Shishu Swarga,” a healthcare and rehabilitation initiative designed for the proper treatment of children. Additional ongoing activities highlighted include medical waste management, the use of solar power, deployment of armed Ansar personnel at every health complex, and the issuance of Health Cards.
Discussions also covered public health protection, narcotics control, nutrition research, and the management of hospitals and dispensaries.
Earlier at the start of the meeting, an introductory session was held for the committee chairman, members, and relevant senior officials, followed by a briefing on the manpower, organizational profiles, functions, notable achievements, and future plans of departments and agencies under the ministry.
The meeting was attended by Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, State Minister MA Muhit and committee members Md Abdus Salam, Abu Mansur Sakhawat Hasan, Ikramul Bari Tipu, Md Anwarul Haq, Shamim Ara Begum Swapna, Md Abdul Bari Sardar and Mahmuda Alam Mitu.
