Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said her government will reach specialized healthcare services online to the upazilas so rural people get treatment from home. “We’re creating the scope so that they (the patients) can get specialized treatment sitting at their own locations and staying in upazilas,” she said. The premier said this while inaugurating the golden jubilee celebration and the 14th convocation of Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre here, joining it through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganobhaban. Also read: Balance development with environment, PM tells at event on World Environment Day She said her government has installed web cameras at every upazila hospital. “We’ll improve it (the online services through web cameras) further. We’ve this plan so that they (patients) can avail the specialized treatment online.”  Hasina said though the government has already created the facility, it has a plan to improve it further so that the patients don’t need to come to Dhaka, rather they can avail the specialized healthcare services staying in their own areas. The prime minister urged the physicians to stay beside the people with a vow to provide them services instead of taking it merely as a profession. “I expect that you will stand beside the people with a vow to provide the services not just for the sake of profession,” she said. The patients may get half-healed hearing some good words from a physician, said the premier.  “Good words from a physician can work as cure and create confidence among patients in many cases,” said the premier. She stressed the need for more research in health science, improving the quality of healthcare services and raising public awareness about the outbreak of diseases. “The research in health science is very essential for us. You (the physicians) will pay more attention to the research,” she said, adding that it is also an important thing to keep the people protected from many diseases that break out in the country due to its weather and climate. “If our physicians can do such good jobs going abroad, why won’t they do it in our country? That is my question,” she said.

Chief Whip of the Jatiya Sangsad Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury on Tuesday stressed the need for ensuring good management in the health sector to increase public confidence further in the country’s healthcare services. “The Prime Minister has a special attention to the health sector of Bangladesh.  The number of hospitals and their beds has increased in the country.  The modern medical equipment and the number of specialist doctors and nurses have increased. Despite this, people are still going abroad for medical treatment,” he said. Read: Coronavirus: Ex-chief whip Shahid infected The chief whip was addressing as the chief guest at a programme in the Milon Hall of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). Cancer Mission Foundation arranged the programme  to provide assistance to cancer patients. “It is essential for the doctors and hospital authorities to ensure good management so that the public confidence in the medical services of Bangladesh will increase further,” he said. Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury said the wheel of Bangladesh economy remains moving forward even amid the Covid-19 pandemic. It has been possible to tackle the pandemic due to the Prime Minister's foresight and timely decision-making as well as steps to reach the healthcare services to the doorsteps of the people, he said. He said many Bangladeshi meritorious doctors and teachers have shown their professional competence successfully in various reputed hospitals and education institutes in foreign lands. “Had they returned home and provided such services here, the nation would be benefited and the tendency of going abroad to receive treatment would decline largely,” said the Chief Whip. He urged all the concerned to work sincerely to ensure international standards in education and healthcare systems. Read:Short, long-term plans needed for water transport sector: Chief whip Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury said hadn’t Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman been born, Bangladesh would not be independent. And hadn’t his abled daughter Sheikh Hasina been in the government, the development pace of Bangladesh would not have accelerated, she said. Many mega projects, including construction of Padma Bridge, Metro Rail, Nuclear Power Plant and Karnaphuli Tunnel are possible due to the sincerity, honesty, hard-work and competent leadership of the Prime Minister, said the Chief Whip. BSMMU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, and Housing and Public Works Secretary Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker also spoke at the function presided over by President of Cancer Mission Foundation Prof Dr Md Moniruzzaman, said a press release.

The Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute Bill, 2021 was placed in Parliament on Monday, aiming to improve healthcare services for children. Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque placed the Bill and it was sent to the respective Standing Committee for further examination.  Read: Medical College (Governing Bodies) (Repeal), Bill 2021 placed in parliament The Committee was asked to submit its report within seven days. The bill was designed in line with the Dhaka Children Hospital Ordinance, 2008. The draft law was prepared merging Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital and Bangladesh Institute of Child Health for ensuring better healthcare services for children. At present, Bangladesh Institute of Child Health is the academic wing of Dhaka Shishu Hospital. The Dhaka Shishu Hospital Ordinance, 2008 was promulgated during the caretaker government in 2008. Some 54 ordinances, out of 122, promulgated during the caretaker government were approved in Parliament following the recommendations of the special committee of the 9th parliament.  Read:Medical Degrees (Repeal) Bill placed in JS But the Dhaka Shishu Hospital Ordinance and 67 others were not endorsed at that time. Dhaka Shishu Hospital, established in 1977, became an autonomous institute under an ordinance promulgated in 2008 by the then interim government. The Bangladesh Institute of Child Health was established in 1983 as an academic wing of Dhaka Shishu Hospital. So, there is no complete law or ordinance over regulation and supervision of the activities of Dhaka Shishu Hospital. As per the 21 article of the draft law, there will be a 12-member board of directors to run the hospital as an autonomous body. Read: Bill passed to ensure safe child daycare centres A director of the hospital would be the executive officer of the hospital while each director would be appointed for three years. At least 30 seats would be reserved for child patients of poor families, he mentioned referring to a provision of the bill.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the government will set up community vision centres in all upazilas across the country in phases to provide better eyecare services to local people.

The government will soon fix the fees of healthcare services at different private hospitals as per their service standards in a bid to reduce the harassment of patients, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday.

Bidyanondo Foundation, a voluntary organisation, and Bangladesh Coastguard are jointly going to launch a floating hospital ‘Jibon Kheya’ to provide poor people living along rivers with healthcare services.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday alleged that people are being deprived of medical services as the country’s health sector has collapsed due to corruption by the "government".

Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) on Monday said over 200 physicians in the country have been infected with coronavirus while providing healthcare services to such patients.