The parliamentary standing committee on ministry of health and family welfare on Wednesday recommended lowering the age limit to receive Covid vaccines further from the existing 25 years.

It also asked the government to promptly complete the ongoing recruitment of physicians (2,000 assistant surgeons) following the recommendation of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission.   

The parliamentary committee made the recommendations at its 10th meeting, held with its chairman Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim in the chair at the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Bhaban, said a Parliament handout.

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The committee also suggested the government to take necessary steps for the quick disbursement from the stimulus package, announced by the Prime Minister, among the families of the physicians, nurses and health workers who died of Covid.

In the meeting, the latest coronavirus situation was discussed and three bills – Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute Bill, 2021; Medical Colleges (Governing Bodies) (Repeal) Bill, 2021; and Medical Degrees (Repeal) Bill, 2021 were reviewed.

The parliamentary watchdog recommended the government to follow the Government-to-Government (G2G) method in order to make the vaccine production and inoculation easier.

A subcommittee was formed with AFM Ruhal Haque as its convener to scrutinize Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute Bill, 2021 further.

The committee finalised its reports after completing the scrutiny of Medical Colleges (Governing Bodies) (Repeal) Bill, 2021; and Medical Degrees (Repeal) Bill, 2021.

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Committee members AFM Ruhal Haque (Satkhira-3), Mohibur Rahman Manik (Sunamganj-5), Md Mansur Rahman (Rajshahi-5), Md Abdul Aziz (Sirajganj-3), Sayeda Zakia Noor (Kishoreganj-1) and Md Amirul Alam Milon (Bagerhat-4) attended the meeting.

The Health Services Division Secretary and the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services were among the high officials who were present at the meeting.