Health minister angry at irregularities in two Madaripur hospitals, orders two nurses in Kalkini relieved

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain Bakul has found various irregularities, mismanagement and corruption during surprise inspections of Kalkini Upazila Health Complex and the district Sadar Hospital in Madaripur. He expressed anger over the hospitals' unclean environment, shortages of doctors and manpower, shortages of medicine and vaccines, and allegations that patients were forced to buy medicines from outside despite necessary medicines being in stock.

The minister said departmental action would be taken against those involved in negligence of duty and irregularities. He also ordered two nurses of Kalkini Upazila Health Complex to be relieved.

The minister's surprise inspection began on Tuesday morning, 3 November, with a visit to Kalkini Upazila Health Complex. He later visited several private clinics and diagnostic centres near the hospital. At noon, the health minister inspected the 250-bed Madaripur District Sadar Hospital.

During a stay of about two hours at Kalkini Upazila Health Complex, the minister toured various wards of the hospital. Speaking to admitted patients, he enquired about the quality of treatment, the availability of medicines, the presence of doctors and nurses, and the hospital's overall management. Finding various irregularities and mismanagement, he expressed dissatisfaction. Alongside ordering two nurses to be relieved on allegations of negligence of duty, he said departmental action would be taken against several doctors.

After the inspection, the health minister told journalists that looting in the health sector is why hospitals today face shortages of manpower, medicine and vaccines. Over the past 17 years, there had been widespread looting in various sectors including health, he said. People's money was looted from the budgets of various ministries and smuggled abroad, and hospitals were not given proper attention. As a result, they found such a fragile situation after taking charge, he said.

Outlining the government's plans to develop the health sector, he said a plan has now been taken, under the direction of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, to upgrade every upazila health complex in the country to 151 beds. Alongside that, a health centre will be built in every union, each with one doctor. The government is working so that ordinary people can receive the health services they need in their own areas, he said.

After inspecting the private clinics and diagnostic centres in Kalkini, the health minister said no new private clinic is being approved within one kilometre of a government hospital. Most of the clinics and diagnostic centres that have sprung up now received approval during the previous government's tenure. Their documents and activities are being verified under the leadership of the district administration and the civil surgeon. Action is being taken where irregularities are found. But it is not possible to close all the institutions at once; action will be taken in phases, he said.

Later, at noon, a surprise inspection of Madaripur Sadar Hospital found a picture of further irregularities. The health minister expressed anger at the hospital's unclean environment, rubbish in various places, lack of infrastructure renovation and repair, and deficiencies in patient care.

Raising a serious allegation about the hospital's supply of medicine and saline, the minister said that despite necessary medicine and saline being in stock, patients were not being given them. Instead, they were being told to buy medicine from outside. Saying he had found proof of such a situation on the ground, he said departmental action would be taken, after returning to Dhaka, against those involved in these irregularities and mismanagement.

The health minister further said that if he claimed he had found no irregularities here, it would be untrue. Money had been looted in the health sector, he said. In some places machines were bought but there was no necessary manpower; elsewhere there was manpower but no necessary equipment. There was no supply of medicine and a crisis of vaccines. Saying they had taken charge amid such a chaotic situation, he said they were now working to remove these problems and improve the quality of health services.

Present during the inspection of Madaripur Sadar Hospital were Jahandar Ali Jahan, member of parliament for Madaripur-2, Deputy Commissioner Marjina Akter, Superintendent of Police Fazle Elahi, District Civil Surgeon Dr Mst Mahfuza Khatun, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of Sadar Hospital Dr Akhil Sarkar, Deputy Director of the District Family Planning Office Matiur Rahman, and officials of various government departments and political leaders.