Health Minister Orders Disciplinary Action Against Hospital Staff Over Negligence During Naogaon Facility Inspection
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Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain ordered disciplinary action against hospital staff during a surprise inspection of the 250-bed Naogaon General Hospital on Sunday. The minister intervened personally when a patient was instructed by a nurse to purchase saline from an external pharmacy despite the hospital’s own inventory being adequately stocked. Minister Hossain reimbursed the patient for the out-of-pocket expense on the spot.
During the visit, which began at 10:30 a.m., the minister inspected the hospital’s wards, operation theaters, pharmacy, and kitchen. While noting general satisfaction among patients regarding the quality of care, he identified several administrative irregularities. Among the concerns addressed was a disparity in food funding; the hospital receives budgetary allocations for only 100 beds despite its 250-bed capacity. To resolve this, the minister announced that the daily food allocation per bed will be increased from 175 taka to 250 taka.
Disciplinary measures were ordered against a physician who arrived 45 minutes late and the nurse responsible for the saline incident. Addressing the media afterward, Minister Hossain criticized the lack of accountability in the health sector over the past 17 years. He stated that his administration is currently working to restore discipline and transparency within the system.
The government is moving to address chronic staffing shortages by initiating a recruitment drive for approximately 9,500 personnel, including 2,500 nurses and 2,500 pharmacists. Plans to decentralize medical services are also underway, specifically regarding dialysis. To reduce reliance on facilities in Dhaka, the government intends to install 10 dialysis beds in each district-level hospital and 50 in each medical college hospital. Tenders for the necessary machinery have been completed, with a goal to commence district-level dialysis operations within three months. This initiative is expected to facilitate treatment for approximately 180 patients daily across three shifts per facility.
Long-term modernization plans include expanding sub-district health complexes. The government is processing a revised development project proposal to increase the capacity of these facilities from 50 beds to 151. These upgraded complexes will feature specialized wards, including 25 maternity beds, 20 pediatric beds, and dedicated physiotherapy wings staffed by gender-appropriate personnel. Additionally, the construction of nine-story buildings equipped with modern ultrasound and pathology laboratories is planned for these locations.
The inspection was attended by local officials, including Naogaon-5 Member of Parliament and Hospital Management Committee President Jahidul Islam, Deputy Commissioner Saiful Islam, Hospital Superintendent A.M. Akhtaruzzaman, Civil Surgeon Aminul Islam, and Additional Superintendent of Police Joybroto Pal.
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