The shortage of ICU beds at Rangpur Medical College Hospital will be addressed within a month, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu said Saturday.

He said the number of ICU beds at the hospital would be increased within the next month, as the government has already taken steps to address the shortage of anaesthesiologists that had delayed the expansion.

“The prime minister is giving the highest priority to the health sector. There is a shortage of manpower across the country. We will try to recruit personnel within a short time and provide Rangpur Medical College Hospital with the staff it needs,” he said.

The minister made the remarks after inaugurating the foundation stone of the service building of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit at RMCH in the afternoon.

Dulu blamed 17 years of alleged repression, irregularities and corruption for pushing not only the health sector but almost every sector of the country towards collapse.

On the recent killing of four members of the same family in Rangpur, Dulu said the incident was unacceptable and stressed the need for a proper investigation.

“There are various discussions over the investigation and it may take some time. But our priority is to identify those actually responsible and bring anyone involved in the killings to justice,” he said.

Later, the minister attended the monthly meeting of the management committee of Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

Earlier in the morning, he inaugurated the Rangpur regional office of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission Secretariat.

Rangpur Development Authority Chairman Shamsuzzaman Shamu, District Council Administrator Saiful Islam, Divisional Commissioner Shahidul Islam and senior officials were present.