98 pc TB patients getting treatment, minister tells JS

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim told the Jatiya Sangsad yesterday that 98 per cent of the tuberculosis patients of the country have been getting treatment, reports BSS.

Making a statement on a private member's resolution moved by Jatiya Party (Mizan-Manju) lawmaker from Mohila seat Jinat Hossain proposing setting up a TB hospital at Chittagong district headquarters, the minister said that it was not a fact that the TB patients have been dying due to lack of treatment.

He said the programme taken by the government for the treatment of TB patients have been yielding successes. He said there is no scope of feeling concern for the TB patients since their numbers have been decreasing gradually.

The minister said due to lack of TB patients, the 100 bed TB hospital near Chittagong city has been transformed into chest diseases hospital. Besides, he said there are about 41 medical centres in Chittagong providing medicare facilities.

Later, Jinat Hossain withdrew her resolution which was approved by the House.

Several MPs including Abdul Latif Mirza, Haji Mohammad Selim, Shahjahan Khan, A B M Abdul Kashem, Shamsur Rahman Sharif, M Mostafizur Rahman, Srimati Bharati Nandi, Tahura Ali and Shaheen Monowara Hoq earlier moved amendments to the resolution.

Meanwhile, another private member's resolution proposed by treasury bench MP from Sandwip pleading for setting up an auditorium at Sandwip thana headquarters was withdrawn and the withdrawal was approved by the House unanimously.

Making a statement on the resolution, the LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Zillur Rahman said that the present thana headquarters of Sandwip is threatened by erosion. He said the government will consider to build an auditorium at Sandwip after the new site for the headquarters is selected.