Health minister finds chief absent during surprise visit to Kalkini hospital; 2 nurses transferred

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain waited at Kalkini Upazila Health Complex in Madaripur today (3 November) after failing to find the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer (UH&FPO) at the workplace during a scheduled visit.

During a surprise inspection of the 50-bed facility, the minister also ordered the transfer of two nurses to other workplaces over alleged negligence in their duties.

He said action would be taken under service rules against the UH&FPO and several doctors for reporting late to work.

Speaking to journalists after the inspection, the minister said public funds had been looted and siphoned abroad during the 17 years of Awami League rule, leaving the country’s health sector in a dire state.

He said the sector had suffered from severe shortages of manpower, vaccines and medicines during that period.

The government has taken initiatives to make the hospital outsourcing system more effective, Sakhawat said, adding that staffing would be gradually increased at healthcare facilities facing shortages.

He said the plans would be implemented by preventing corruption and ensuring the best possible use of the limited budget.

Regarding the activities of middlemen at hospitals, the minister said district administrators had been instructed to address the problem and that immediate action would be taken wherever irregularities were found.

He also said no new private hospital or clinic would be allowed to open within one kilometre of a government hospital.

Inspection teams were visiting healthcare facilities across the country and ordering the closure of those found operating irregularly, he added.

Later, the minister visited the 250-bed Madaripur District Hospital.