Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain has said no new private clinics or diagnostic centres will be approved near government hospitals.
He also said existing approved private healthcare facilities would be monitored regularly and their approvals would be cancelled if they fail to provide quality services.
The minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after inspecting the Gazaria Upazila Health Complex in Munshiganj.
Asked about deaths from snake bites despite adequate anti-venom supplies at the upazila level, Sakhawat said patients are kept under observation after being bitten to determine whether the snake was venomous.
He said patients often reach hospitals late, causing their conditions to become critical.
The minister urged people not to delay taking snakebite victims to hospitals, saying every upazila health complex in the country has sufficient stocks of anti-venom.
During the inspection, local journalists highlighted various irregularities in the hospital’s management. The minister assured them that necessary measures would be taken to resolve the issues.
Munshiganj-3 MP Kamruzzaman Ratan, Gazaria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Umme Hafsa Nadia, Gazaria Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Sharmin Tithi, Residential Medical Officer Nusrat Farzana Khan and other officials were present during the visit.
