Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain expressed his deep indignation over widespread mismanagement and irregularities during a surprise inspection of the Khulna 250-bed General Hospital on Wednesday morning.
During the visit, the minister tasted the curry prepared for the patients but immediately spat it out as it was found to be of substandard quality.
Addressing the Hospital Superintendent, he demanded to know if such food would ever be served in their own homes and issued a strict directive to ensure the supply of high-quality meals for patients. The minister was accompanied during the inspection by Nazrul Islam Manju, Administrator of Khulna City Corporation, and Hure Jannat, the Deputy Commissioner.
The minister’s visit further uncovered a crisis at the rabies vaccine corner, where he observed patients being forced to purchase vaccines from external sources with their own money. Affected individuals surrounded the minister to report that the hospital’s lack of stock had left them with no choice but to buy the medication privately.
Upon being summoned to explain the situation, the Hospital Superintendent, Dr Md Rafiqul Islam Gazi, claimed that a temporary supply disruption had caused the shortage.
However, the minister immediately placed a telephone call to the health department in Dhaka, through which he discovered that the Superintendent had failed to establish any communication regarding the vaccine requirements.
Visibly angered by the negligence, minister said that formal action would be taken against those found responsible for the lapses in hospital administration
