Shama orders crackdown on brokers at Faridpur Medical College Hospital

Foreign Affairs State Minister Shama Obaed Islam today (29 August) ordered authorities at Faridpur Medical College Hospital to identify brokers operating there and take legal action against them, saying brokers are causing problems at the hospital.

Shama, who is also the chairman of the hospital’s management committee, said the committee held its first meeting in seven years today.

“After taking charge as chairman of the committee, I found out today that it had not met for seven years. I consider holding this meeting an achievement,” she told reporters after the meeting at the hospital’s conference room this morning.

At today’s meeting, the committee discussed a range of problems facing the hospital, including a shortage of funds, non-functioning equipment, problems with the catheterisation laboratory and inadequate storage facilities, she said.

“Many of the machines bought by the fascist government are not working,” she added.

Although the hospital is supposed to have 1,000 beds, it does not, Shama said, adding that between 1,000 and 3,000 patients visit the facility every day amid an acute manpower shortage.

The management committee took decisions on steps that could be taken to address these problems, she added.

Faridpur-3 lawmaker Chowdhury Nayab Yusuf, vice-chairman of the management committee, also spoke at the meeting.

District Civil Surgeon Dr Mahmudul Hasan and Additional Deputy Commissioner Mintu Biswas were among those present at the meeting.