Health minister urges hospitals to allocate services for poor patients

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen has called for all major hospitals to allocate a percentage of their services for poor patients to ensure they have access to medical care.

“Every major hospital should allocate a percentage of its services for poor patients to ensure they have access to medical care,” Dr Sen said while addressing reporters after a surprise visit to LabAid Specialized Hospital in Dhanmondi on Thursday (20 June) afternoon.

Dr Sen’s visit to LabAid Hospital included a thorough inspection of the emergency department, medical check-up room, endoscopy and colonoscopy units, and the CCU department. He engaged in detailed discussions with radiologists, medical consultants, and patients.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister emphasised the importance of quality healthcare over quantity.

“Instead of performing 70 endoscopies and ultrasonographies at once, it is better to ensure fewer but more qualitative procedures,” he said.

The minister’s remarks come as part of a broader initiative to inspect healthcare facilities across the country. 

Earlier on the day, he visited the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and the previous day, he inspected three other hospitals.

“I will not tolerate any negligence in treatment. Human life is irreplaceable. Once lost, it cannot be regained,” Dr Sen said in response to journalists’ questions.

Following his visit to LabAid, Dr Sen inspected Bangladesh Specialized Hospital. During this visit, he reviewed various departments, including gastroenterology, and spoke extensively with patients and doctors. He also examined documentation procedures to ensure proper compliance.

“Documentation systems must be robust. Proper patient documentation ensures that any future issues can be resolved efficiently. I did not find their documentation system satisfactory. My message to them is to be more caring towards patients and ensure that the billing is reasonable,” the Health Minister noted.

Dr Sen reiterated his focus on quality healthcare, stating, “I have one main objective: quality healthcare, not quantity.”

Additional Secretary (Hospital Division) of the Health Services Division, Muhammad Wahiduzzaman NDC, Directorate General of Health Services, Dr Abu Hossain, Md Moinul Ahsan, and journalists from print and electronic media were present during the inspections.