Health ministry orders nationwide inspections to curb irregularities at private facilities

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of today directed divisional and district-level health administrators to launch countrywide drives against errant private hospitals, diagnostic centres and blood banks in a bid to curb irregularities.

It also instructed officials to intensify inspections and ensure the timely attendance of health workers at medical facilities so that patients can receive proper services without disruption.

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain issued the directives at a virtual meeting with civil surgeons and divisional directors of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), according to officials present at the meeting.

Health Secretary Quamruzzaman Chowdhury, who was present at the meeting, said all civil surgeons had been instructed to examine licences, conditions and other relevant aspects of private hospitals and diagnostic centres.

“They were asked to seek assistance from the district administration, if necessary, to carry out mobile court drives to ensure compliance. Non-compliant facilities will be shut down,” he told The Daily Star.

“We issued the directive today and hope they will begin the drive across the country very soon,” he added.

The minister also instructed officials to ensure that public health services remain fully uninterrupted, the secretary said.

The move comes as the DGHS began a crackdown on errant private medical facilities in the capital from yesterday, shutting down several hospitals over allegations of irregularities.

After assuming charge of the ministry last month, the health minister announced measures to ensure doctors’ punctual presence at hospitals. Since then, he has conducted several surprise visits to medical facilities to enforce attendance among health workers.

At the meeting, the health minister directed all civil surgeons to ensure that health workers, including heads of facilities and offices, strictly adhere to office hours and arrive and leave on time, a civil surgeon from the Rangpur division said.

He further instructed that biometric attendance must be ensured, the official, who requested anonymity, added.

Another civil surgeon from the Dhaka division said the minister also inquired about poor biometric attendance of health workers in several districts of the Barishal division and called for improvements.

The minister additionally directed authorities to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply at all hospitals amid concerns over power supply triggered by the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, the official said, also requesting anonymity.

Upazila health and family planning officers have been asked to intensify hospital visits to ensure patients receive proper treatment, he added.