3,048 beds added to govt hospitals in eight months

This measures was taken after the present government assumed office on February 17 this year, with a view to ensuring better healthcare services and adequate hospital beds for patients in public hospitals.

The information was obtained through an analysis of documents related to decisions taken by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare between April 28 and October 19.

According to the documents, the government approved the establishment of two new public medical colleges. One will be established in Thakurgaon and the other in Narsingdi. The approvals were given on May 15 and June 14.

On September 8, the bed capacity of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura was increased from 1,200 to 1,800.

On May 21, the bed capacity of Mugda Medical College Hospital in the capital and Dinajpur Medical College Hospital was doubled from 500 to 1,000 each.

Besides, 100 beds were added to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. An order was issued on July 13 increasing the hospital’s bed capacity from 1,200 to 1,300 beds.

On the same day, the bed capacity of Rajbari Sadar Hospital was increased from 100 to 250, while that of Joypurhat General Hospital was raised from 250 to 400.

Rangamati General Hospital's capacity was increased from 100 to 250 beds on the same day. The bed capacity of Langadu Upazila Health Complex was also raised from 31 to 50.

In June, the bed capacity of Narsingdi District Hospital was increased from 100 to 250.

Additionally, 50 beds were added to Chakaria Upazila Health Complex and 19 beds to Pekua Upazila Health Complex in Cox's Bazar on May 17.

Similarly, 50 beds were added to Bhairab Upazila Health Complex in Kishoreganj on August 2.

The bed capacity of Nandigram Upazila Health Complex in Bogura was increased from 31 to 50, while 19 beds were added to another upazila health complex in Feni.

Meanwhile, the bed capacity of the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital in Dhaka was increased from 500 to 700.

In addition, 19 beds each were added to Taraganj Upazila Health Complex in Rangpur, Osmaninagar Upazila Health Complex in Sylhet, Atgharia Upazila Health Complex in Pabna and Fulgazi Upazila Health Complex in Feni.

A total of 115 beds were also added to the National Institute of ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) in Tejgaon, Dhaka, raising its capacity to 250 beds.

With a view to expanding healthcare services across the country, the government decided in June to upgrade all upazila health complexes to 151-bed facilities. However, the decision was revised on August 12, and a new plan was adopted to gradually upgrade all upazila health complexes to 151-bed facilities.

Asked about the development, Director (Hospital and Clinics) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Professor Dr Md Nurul Islam, told BSS that receiving treatment at public hospitals is a constitutional right of citizens.

“Therefore, the present government is working to ensure quality healthcare for the people,” he said, adding, the government has increased more than 3,000 beds in several hospitals across the country, taking people's needs into consideration, so that patients do not face difficulties in getting hospital beds during outbreaks of diseases such as measles and dengue.

Prof Islam further said that once the upazila health complexes are upgraded to 151-bed facilities within the next year, significant changes would come to Bangladesh's healthcare system, reports BSS.