United News of Bangladesh

The government has reallocated Tk 604 crore from unused pandemic funds and secured around 2.19 crore vaccine doses with international support as part of urgent measures to combat a measles outbreak, Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain told Parliament on Wednesday. The government has launched emergency measures to contain a measles outbreak, including a nationwide vaccination drive and the procurement of millions of doses to replenish depleted stocks, he said responding to concerns raised by opposition lawmaker Rumeen Farhana during her call attention notice on urgent public important matters. Tk 604 crore from unused Asian Development Bank pandemic funds has been reallocated for emergency procurement and 21.9 million doses have been secured through Gavi support while an additional procurement worth Tk 419 crore is in its final stages, said the minister. To ensure transparency and avoid delays, the minister said the government is bypassing traditional tenders to procure directly through UNICEF. The minister said  41 deaths have been officially verified by the WHO and UNICEF as directly caused by measles. The minister announced that while a vaccination campaign began on April 5 in high-risk areas, the program will expand to Dhaka North and South city corporations and other major urban centers starting April 12. He noted that although Dhaka was not initially classified as a high-risk zone by international partners, the government is taking proactive steps to cover the capital. Acknowledging that the current administration inherited a near-zero stock of vaccines due to previous mismanagement, Husain detailed urgent financial measures to restore the supply chain. Addressing the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), the minister highlighted a shift to multi-dose vials to improve storage efficiency and meet WHO cold chain standards. He also addressed workforce shortages, stating that the government is moving to clear outstanding salaries for field-level health workers within days to ensure the vaccination drive remains effective. Earlier, Rumeen Farhana cited data suggesting higher fatalities and warned of the long-term risks of measles-induced immune suppression among children. She also raised alarms over shortages of several routine vaccines. In response, the minister assured that under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the situation is being brought under control. "The vaccine stocks are now stabilising, and we are moving forward with full preparedness to protect children’s health," he said.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain on Tuesday told parliament that necessary initiatives are being taken to recruit some 100,000 health workers in line with the current government’s election manifesto. He said this responding to a starred tabled question placed by treasury bench member elected from Naogaon-4 Ikramul Bari Tipu. The minister said the government has been working relentlessly to ensure adequate manpower to improve the quality of healthcare services and maintain continuity in service delivery across the country. He said on January 22 this year, a total of 2,984 assistant surgeons and 279 dental surgeons were recruited through the 48th BCS, while 98 assistant surgeons (MBBS) and 22 dental surgeons were appointed through the 44th BCS. Earlier, on December 18 last year, 162 assistant surgeons (MBBS doctors) were appointed through the 27th BCS.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain on Tuesday said no unauthorised and substandard clinics will be allowed to operate as part of efforts to improve the country’s healthcare services. “If any clinic fails to maintain minimum standards of medical services, it will be shut down immediately without delay,” he said. He made the remarks while talking to reporters at the Secretariat on the first working day after the Eid holidays. Special inspections and drives against private clinics in the capital will begin from Tuesday itself, he said. Strict directives have been given to ensure quality healthcare services, said the minister, adding that a ‘zero tolerance’ policy will be followed against clinic owners involved in irregularities. The monitoring drive, which begins in the capital, will be expanded gradually across the country, he added.  

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain on Thursday warned that the licence of any government doctor found seeing patients outside during official duty hours will be suspended or cancelled. The minister made the warning at a briefing on current affairs held at the conference room of the Health Ministry, said an official handout. Govt moving to restore discipline in public hospitals: Health Minister Sakhawat Hossain said Rajesh Majumder, a doctor at the 250-bed District Sadar Hospital in Shariatpur, had been summoned to the ministry on Wednesday for seeing patients at a private chamber in the local Modern City Hospital during office hours. He said the doctor will be suspended from his job and a departmental case will be filed following due procedures. The process to suspend his professional registration is also underway. The minister urged other doctors to learn from the incident. He added that action is also being taken against Modern City Hospital in Shariatpur. Drug addicts to be identified, punished through dope tests: Health Minister The health minister said intelligence surveillance is being conducted across the country to ensure that government medicines reach the public and that doctors remain present at their workplaces. He warned that if any government doctor is found absent during office hours in the future, their licence will be suspended and disciplinary action will be taken. The minister also said the government plans to recruit around 100,000 field-level health workers in various posts, including midwives, pharmacists and technologists, to improve the quality of healthcare services. Of them, 80 percent will be women.

Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bokul on Saturday said drug addicts will be identified through dope tests and sentenced to three months in jail as part of efforts to curb drug abuse. He made the remarks at a view-exchange meeting with district-level officials at the Narsingdi Deputy Commissioner’s Office in the afternoon. The minister said Narsingdi would be transformed into a district free from corruption, terrorism, extortion and drugs. No more running after doctors, services to reach doorsteps: Health Minister “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, I will work to implement the 31-point plan to turn Bangladesh into a modern state,” he said. Expressing gratitude to the voters for electing him, the minister sought cooperation from all to make Narsingdi and the entire country free from drugs, terrorism and extortion. Emphasising the need for a corruption-free and humane social system, he said, “We will continue to fight corruption and terrorism shoulder to shoulder.” Health Minister announces on-the-spot monitoring of doctors’ services He also said law enforcement agencies are capable of performing their duties effectively. “There is no work that the police cannot do. If we MPs and ministers commit any wrongdoing, you DCs and SPs should complain to the Prime Minister against us,” he added. The minister further announced plans to establish a medical college and a university in Narsingdi. Newly elected MP of Narsingdi-1 (Sadar) constituency and district BNP President Khairul Kabir Khokon, MP of Narsingdi-3 (Shibpur) constituency and district BNP General Secretary Manjur Elahi, and MP of Narsingdi-5 (Raipura) constituency Engineer Ashraf Uddin Bakul, among others, spoke as special guests at the meeting, chaired by Narsingdi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Anwar Hossain.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain on Thursday said  on-site inspections will be conducted to ensure doctors are providing proper services to patients. He made the announcement at a meeting on the overall activities of the ministry at the conference room of the ministry at Secretariat. The minister said the government wants to ensure the highest level of services at hospitals and would work in line with the instructions and message of the Prime Minister. “We will make immediate visits to see whether on-duty doctors are providing services properly. Everyone will have to be accountable. We must ensure that our activities benefit the general people,” he said, adding that no syndicate would be given any undue advantage. He also said the Prime Minister has directed that services must be provided equally to all. Senior officials of the ministry and heads of subordinate departments and agencies were also present at the meeting.  

Health Minister Dr. Samanta Lal Sen on Tuesday said that Bangladesh has made continuous progress in the pharmaceutical industry as 98 percent of the country's total demand for  medicine is now produced locally. “Almost all medicines produced in Bangladesh are being exported to 157 countries of the world,” he said. With Pahela Falgun-Valentine’s Day, the nation eyes a festive February 14 In response to the question of independent MP elected from Dhaka-19 Muhammad Saiful Islam, the minister said that incentives are being given by the government to encourage the export of medicines produced in the country. “As a part of this, incentives are being given at the rate of 10 percent this year,” he said. Govt okays project to provide freelancing training to youths in 48 districts Responding to Awami League MP elected from Laxmipur-1 Anwar Khan, the minister said that medicines worth Tk 59 billion have been exported in the first six months till December of the current financial year. In response to independent MP elected from Laxmipur-4 Md Abdullah, the health minister said that about 32 types of medicines are being provided to community clinics and 105 types of medicines to government hospitals free of cost. Commerce Ministry names 77 industries winners of export trophy for FY21-22

Doctors in the country must be honest and sound-minded, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen said on Friday. That is why he said maximum precautions were taken at all examination centres staging the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) admission tests for the 2023-24 academic year. The health minister made these remarks while talking to journalists after inspecting examination centres at Tejgaon College and Dhaka University Arts Faculty this morning. Bangladesh reports 47 more COVID-19 cases in 24hrs Among others, Medical Education and Family Welfare Division Secretary Azizur Rahman, Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) ABM Khurshid Alam, BMA president Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin and Directorate General of Medical Education Director General Prof Dr Md Titu Miah were present at the time. An electronic tracking device was put on every trunk carrying the question papers for this year's exam, through which the activities were monitored by the Directorate. Ensure safe food: Food minister No one, including the magistrate at each exam centre, was allowed to carry any electronic device in the examination hall. All medical coaching centres were declared shut one month before the exam.  On the day before the exam, the state intelligence agency was deployed to prevent any opportunity to leak or spread questions, or even rumours regarding questions, on social networks like Facebook, Dr Sen informed. "We have been as careful as possible in this year's medical entrance exam," added the technocrat minister, explaining the need for a clean process to produce the kind of doctors the country needs. "I want to see honest and better doctors in our country. I remained honest throughout my whole life, I want each doctor of the next generation to serve the people with honesty and transparency," the health minister added. Entire Bangladesh to be brought under rail network: Railways Minister The MBBS admission test for the academic year 2023-24 was held simultaneously at 44 venues of 19 examination centres of the country from 10am to 11 am. A total of 104,374 applicants competed for 11,675 seats in the country's medical colleges through the admission test.

The government will start Vitamin A plus campaign across the country on Monday with a target to provide Vitamin A plus capsule to 2,20 crore children, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday. Under the programme, 25 lakh children aged between 6 to 11 months will be fed blue colour A plus capsule while 1.95 crore children aged between 12 to 59 months will be fed red colour capsule, he said while speaking at a programme at the Ministry. The government started the Vitamin A plus campaign in 2010 and children are fed the capsule twice a year, he said adding “Now only 0.04% children are affected with the night blindness disease due to Vitamin A deficiency.” Already the capsule has been sent to the central drug store, districts, city corporations and publicity about the progrmame has been launched through private and government TV channels and national dailies, he said. Also read: Vaccine drive to prevent cervical cancer from September: Health Minister A total of 2.40 lakh volunteers will work at 1.20 lakh centres while 40,000 health workers will participate in the campaign, said the minister.  

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine will be administered to the adolescents girls aged between 10 -15 years from September free of cost, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Monday. The number of patients in cervical cancer is increasing, so there is a plan to increase screening to detect the cancer, he said, while speaking at a programme at the ministry. The government has undertaken a plan to administer the HPV vaccine and it will be administered like other vaccines, he said. “It will be effective if we can administer the vaccine to the adolescents girls aged 10-15 years. The vaccine will be provided free of cost and only one dose will be given to the girls,” said Maleque. Referring to breast cancer, the minister said “We will try to provide necessary machineries at the upazila level so that the disease can be detected as early as possible.” Also read: Govt to provide Tk. 50,000 worth of free health care to 15 lakh families: Minister Replying to a question, Maleque said: “The government is sincere about health care services and in case of importing medical equipment, the government will try its best to fulfill the need by opening LC. But there is no crisis of equipment now at the government hospitals.”