No new private clinics near government hospitals, minister says
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain today said no new private clinic or diagnostic centre will be approved in the vicinity of government hospitals.
"The operations of existing approved facilities will also be regularly monitored. Their approval will be revoked if they fail to provide quality services," he said while talking to journalists after inspecting the Gajaria Upazila Health Complex here.
Lawmaker from Munshiganj-3 constituency Md Quamruzzaman, Gajaria Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ummay Hafsa Nadia, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Sharmin Tithi and Resident Medical Officer of the health complex Nusrat Farzana Khan and others were present during the inspection.
Asked about people were dying from snakebites despite adequate stocks of antivenom at upazila-level hospitals, Sakhawat said patients are kept under observation for some time after a snakebite to determine whether they have been bitten by a venomous snake.
He said patients often reach hospitals late, by which time their condition may become critical.
"Therefore, after snakebite, take the patient to a hospital without delay. Adequate stocks of antivenom are available at every upazila health complex across the country," the minister said.
During the inspection, local media workers brought various irregularities in hospital management to the minister's attention while the minister assured them of taking steps to address the issues.
