Government wants to improve hospital services at upazila level

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said the Awamil League government plans to launch a central oxygen service and blood bank to improve the quality of hospital services at the country’s upazila level. .

Simultaneously, 24-hour maternity services will also be introduced in district and upazila hospitals, he added.

The minister made the remarks on Monday as part of an exchange of views program organized by the Canadian Red Cross, a government affiliate, and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS).

“Cox’s Bazar Medical College has already been established on this. There was a plan to open the hospital with foreign funding. Due to some unfortunate situations, we were unable to secure the funds, so the government decided to run Cox’s Bazar Medical College Hospital with government funding,” the Minister of Health said.

“As we welcome over 1.2 million Rohingya to Cox’s Bazar, medical facilities for the local population are being disrupted. We have been forced to provide medical services to the local community and the Rohingya population with a limited number of doctors and staff. Although international organizations have come forward to help in this matter, we know that this is not enough. Therefore, hopefully, the steps we take to improve medical services here will be instrumental for the local community,” he added.

Earlier in the afternoon, the minister visited Sadar Hospital in Cox’s Bazar district and spoke with patients admitted to the women and children ward in the emergency section. Later, he inaugurated a second operating room at the hospital.