Many hotels clueless about govt initiative

The Directorate General of Health Services on Sunday wrote to the health and family welfare ministry recommending names of 20 city hotels for accommodating doctors and nurses dealing with Covid-19 patients.

This move was well appreciated by the healthcare professionals when it was reported in the media on Tuesday. 

But it was later found many of the hotels were yet to be ready to host the front-line heroes.

This correspondent talked to the authorities of five hotels out of the 20.

Three of them said they did not know anything and no one discussed the issue with them.

The authorities of two other hotels said the government talked to them, but the discussion was still at initial stages. It was tough to accept the government decision as safety and security issues were of concern.

On Tuesday, various media reported that the government took an initiative to provide accommodation of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, who are involved in treating coronavirus patients at dedicated Covid-19 hospitals, at 20 hotels, including Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, in the capital.

A letter, signed by M Aminul Islam, director (Hospital and Clinic) of DGHS, was sent to the authorities concerned on Sunday to take necessary steps in this regard. 

The authorities of Hotel Shalimar International said they suspended their operations on March 26, and no staff was in the hotel now.

"I learnt it [use of the hotel as accommodation for doctors and nurses] from the media. Nobody discussed anything with us, and we don't know what to do," MJ Rahman Jahid, general manager of the hotel, told The Daily Star.

Pan Pacific Lake View Hotel and Resort said they did not know anything and they just came to know from this correspondent.

"Our hotel remains closed since March. No one from the government or any other organisation talked about the issue," said its Director Rafi Hasan.

Hotel Renaissance was found closed. There was a hotline number.

Contacted, an executive received the phone and said, "The hotel is closed since the shutdown started. As the hotline number is forwarded to my number, I received. Thank you."

An official whose hotel has been recommended for this purpose said a health ministry official wanted to know about the accommodation capacity and other details a few days ago.

"But we were not informed of providing accommodation to doctors. How would we ensure safety of our hotel staffers will be a big concern?"

DGHS Director Aminul said, "We just proposed the hotels' names. The health ministry will review the whole thing and take decision. It is not final."

Asked whether they are communicating with the hotels' authorities, he said, "I don't know. The ministry can say."

Sirajul Islam, additional secretary (hospital) of health ministry, said, "Those hotels were not requisitioned yet."

Asked if they are talking to the hotels' authorities, he said, "Certainly, the DGHS discussed the issue with them."

But when pointed out that the DGHS said the ministry would talk, he said, "Another officer has been assigned the task recently."

But he could not name the officer.

Wishing not to be named, a doctor said the DGHS told them that no hotels were available for them.

"From media reports, people came to know that four-star and five-star hotels have been allotted for us."

According to the DGHS letter, Dhaka Regency Hotel and Resort has been proposed for doctors and nurses of Kurmitola General Hospital.

Doctors and nurses of Sheikh Russel Gastroliver Institute and Hospital can stay in Hotel Abakash, Hotel Zakaria, Hotel Renaissance, Dhaka Regency Hotel and Resort, Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden, Pan Pacific Sonargaon, Pacific Lake View Hotel and Resort, and Le Méridien Dhaka.

Maple Leaf and Milina hotels in Uttara have been proposed for doctors and nurses of Kuwait Maitree Hospital, and Grand Prince, Shyamoli, and Dreamland hotels for doctors and nurses of Maternal and Child Healthcare Training institute in Mirpur.

Mohanagar General Hospital's doctors and nurses can get accommodation at Hotel Razmoni Ishakha, FARS Hotel and Hotel 71, while Hotel Sagarika, Hotel Grand Circle Inn, and Hotel Shalimar have been recommended for doctors and nurses of Railway General Hospital in Kamalapur.