“All pvt hospitals, clinics with no license will be shut down”

All the private hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centres with no license will be shut down, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said today.

Besides, private healthcare organisations failing to provide quality services will be warned, he said while addressing the "National Health and Welfare Day 2022" event in Dhaka today.

He came up with the remarks while the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) shut down a total of 1,334 unauthorised private healthcare facilities as of yesterday during the ongoing drive from May 24.

"These initiatives have been taken to bring transparency in the health sector and ensure quality healthcare services," Zahid maleque said.

The minister mentioned that there are around 11,000 private hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centres. "Question have arisen regarding the quality of many of those."

On May 2, 1971, DGHS started its journey.

Recently, the DGHS decided to observe the day every year. Due to the Eid holidays this year, the programme was scheduled to be held today.

Civil Surgeons from 64 districts, divisional health directors, all Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers, and other officials from the DGHS and the ministry joined the day-long event.

Speaking as chief guest, Zahid Maleque said that the number of beds in public hospitals have exceeded 60,000 now from around 5,000-6,000 during the Liberation War.

"At that time [liberation], there were eight medical colleges; now it is 110. There was no medical university; now there are five," the minister said.

Presided over by Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Director General of the DGHS, Prof Ahmedul Kabir, Additional Director General (Administration, and Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora, Additional Director General (Planning and Developement) spoke at the event, among others.