GM Quader criticises health authorities over fake Covid-19 test certificates

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader today told parliament that Bangladesh has been affected very much due to fake Covid-19 test certificates as different countries have put restrictions on Bangladeshi passengers in entering their countries. 

"We have been affected on a personal level due to the fraudulence (fake certificate of Covid-19 test). But Bangladesh as a state has been affected much more. It was seen that several passengers were tested positive for Covid-19 after they landed in different countries although they had certificates that they were tested negative for Covid-19," he said.

In his winding up speech in the eighth and budget session of the 11th parliament, the JP chairman said as a result of fake certificates, different countries are not accepting Bangladesh's certificating on Covid-19 test.

"Several countries have barred flights carrying Bangladeshi passengers to their countries," said the deputy opposition leader.

He also said that Italy did not allow 125 Bangladeshi passengers to enter their country, who had arrived on board a Qatar Airways flight from Dhaka.

Brushing aside the health ministry, Quader said they got more than three-and-a-half-months' time since Covid-19 was first detected in China, but the health department did not do anything remarkable within this time to increase heath service facilities to tackle the virus.

"We cannot say that adequate health service facilities have been prepared," he said.

GM Quader also said it would have been possible to decrease death rate from Covid-19 after six months, had the health department created separate treatment facilities for coronavirus in the government hospitals, took measures to ensure oxygen facilities and establish ICU beds and life support unit as much as possible.

"The health department was inactive when they should have played an active role. Their pace of work was slow when they started to tackle Covid-19. From the beginning, lack of coordination and mismanagement in the health ministry's activities were evident," GM Quader also alleged.

Pointing to the Regent Hospital scam, GM Quader questioned how a hospital who did not have any facilities to test Covid-19 and treat Covid-19 patients, got approval from the respective authorities of the health department.

Lambasting Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), GM Quader asked what they did to monitor Regent and other hospital's activities after giving them permission to test Covid-19 and treat Covid-19 patients.

"So far, we know, they (DGHS) didn't take any timely action against misdeeds and corruption in the name of providing health service (by Regent Hospital)," Quader also said.