Health Minister Vows Prosecution in Ad-Din Hospital Infant Deaths as Ministry Announces Major Expansion of Specialized Care Units

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Health and Family Welfare Adviser Brig. Gen. (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain has vowed that those responsible for the deaths of six newborns at Ad-Din Hospital in Dhaka will face strict accountability, promising that the perpetrators will receive no leniency. Addressing reporters at the Secretariat on Wednesday, Hossain emphasized that the legal process will be handled meticulously to prevent the accused from exploiting procedural loopholes, such as the absence of autopsies, to evade justice.

To bolster national pediatric care, the government plans to establish five 200-bed specialized children’s hospitals across Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Cumilla within the next six months. Each facility will be equipped with an intensive care unit (ICU). According to the health adviser, the tender process for equipment and furnishings has been completed, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the Ministry of Public Administration to ensure the allocation of the required 1,475 personnel for each institution.

Infrastructure development remains a primary focus for the health sector, with plans underway to address the student housing crisis at Dhaka Medical College. The Ministry of Public Works has finalized a proposal for a new residential building, with tenders expected to be issued in the coming days. Furthermore, Hossain expressed grave concern regarding the structural integrity of the Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford) Hospital. He noted that the government has evicted unauthorized occupants from several high-risk buildings and declared them abandoned, with plans to replace them with modern hospital facilities.

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In a significant move to enhance maternal and women’s healthcare, the government is collaborating with China to construct five 1,000-bed hospitals dedicated exclusively to women in or near major cities. Funded primarily by the Chinese government, these projects are slated to commence within the current fiscal year.

Regarding public health emergencies, the ministry is preparing to respond to shifting dengue variants and ongoing outbreaks of measles. As part of a coordinated strategy to manage seasonal disease spikes, Hossain announced that all private hospitals across the country will be required to reserve at least 10 percent of their bed capacity specifically for dengue patients.