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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Health & Science

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From Daily Star · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Bangladesh's Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain stated that medical equipment imported indiscriminately during the previous government is now being discarded.
  • He attributed the sector's severe mismanagement over 17 years to autocracy and corruption, leading to issues like doctor shortages and unused imported machinery.
  • The government plans to recruit 5,000 doctors and is working to improve hospital management, with MPs asked to visit facilities.

Bangladesh's Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain on Monday revealed that a significant amount of medical equipment, imported without proper planning during the previous Awami League government, is now ending up as junk. Some of this equipment remains unopened in its original packaging.

medical equipment imported indiscriminately and without proper planning during the Awami League government is now ending up in junk shops, with some of it still unopened in its original packaging.

— Sardar Md Sakhawat HusainResponding to a supplementary question in parliament about the health sector.

Responding to a parliamentary question, Husain described the health sector as having been severely neglected for 17 years due to autocracy, misrule, and corruption. He noted that this mismanagement has now fallen upon the current democratically elected government. He acknowledged issues such as doctor shortages, citing that no recruitment occurred for 17 years and that recruitment processes were often manipulated. The government is now working to fill vacant positions and recall staff, with plans to recruit 5,000 doctors through a special BCS examination.

This disorder has now fallen upon our democratically elected government.

— Sardar Md Sakhawat HusainDescribing the challenges inherited by the current government in the health sector.

The minister also highlighted the wastage of expensive medical equipment. Two radiotherapy machines, each worth Tk 18 crore, remain unused in Khulna and Faridpur because the necessary safety management was not ensured during their import. Similarly, X-ray and laboratory equipment were supplied to facilities without the corresponding technicians or staff being appointed.

For 17 years, no recruitment was made. Wherever advertisements were issued, conditions were imposed to favour their own people, leading to writ petitions in every case. Many were sent on deputation, many left for abroad. We are now trying to recover by appointing doctors to vacant posts and recalling some staff. The government is set to recruit 5,000 doctors through a special BCS.

— Sardar Md Sakhawat HusainExplaining the reasons for doctor shortages and the government's plan to address them.

To address these systemic issues, Husain stated that he has requested all Members of Parliament to visit hospitals. The government is committed to improving each hospital's condition and management, aiming to rectify the long-standing problems within the health sector.

I have requested all honourable Members of Parliament to visit hospitals. We are trying to improve each and every hospital.

— Sardar Md Sakhawat HusainOutlining efforts to improve hospital management with the help of MPs.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Daily Star. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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