Roni Akand Special Correspondent Joypurhat:

Health and Family Planning Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain made a surprise visit to Kalai Upazila Health Complex in Joypurhat. He arrived at 5 pm on Sunday (August 23).

Earlier, the Health Minister arrived there to see the abandoned mats located in Battali Bazar, Khet Lal, which is the possible site for the medical college at 4 pm on Sunday. After visiting the mats, the Minister arrived at Kalai Upazila Health Complex at 5 pm and visited various wards of the hospital and inquired about medical services, patient facilities and overall activities. During this time, he spoke to doctors, nurses, officials and employees and patients and asked about various problems.

Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain said: There was no accountability in this sector for the past 17 years. We have started the work of restoring discipline and accountability in this sector in just 6 months. Informing about the government's major steps to expand the scope of healthcare services at the upazila and district levels, the Health Minister said that the process of recruiting about 9,500 new manpower,

including 2,500 nurses and 2,500 pharmacists, has been started to reach the grassroots level and eliminate the acute shortage of doctors. To reduce the dependence of dialysis services on Dhaka, 50 dialysis beds will be set up in each medical college hospital of the country and 10 in each district headquarters hospital. The target has been set to launch dialysis services at the district level within the next three months. In addition, there is a plan to launch 10 dialysis beds at the upazila level within the next two years.

Mentioning the initiatives taken for hospital infrastructure and modernization, he further said that the revised DPP to increase the number of beds at the upazila level from 50 to 151 beds is in the process of approval and tender. Each 151-bed hospital will have 25 beds for maternity treatment, 20 special beds for children, and separate physiotherapy wards and supervision of doctors for women and men. In addition, a new 9-storey building with modern ultrasound and advanced pathology labs will be constructed.

Regarding the long-standing manpower crisis in the health sector, the Health Minister said: All the formalities for recruiting 5,000 new doctors will be completed very soon to ensure public service. In addition, oral examinations for recruiting more doctors are underway through the Public Service Commission (PSC). The country's health sector, including nurses and pharmacists, will get a large and skilled medical team within the next one year. Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain also strictly warned the concerned that no kind of irregularities, negligence or carelessness will be tolerated to ensure the quality of medical service.

Among others present at the event were Joypurhat Deputy Commissioner Al Mamun Mia, District Civil Surgeon Al Mamun, Joypurhat Modern District Hospital Superintendent Dr. Rashed Mubarak Jewel, Kalai Upazila Executive Officer Faisal Ahmed, Kalai Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Shafiqul Islam and senior officials of the Health Department.