Healing the wrongs in health sector

FE Team | Published: January 18, 2024 20:51:09

The recent pronouncement by the newly appointed health minister to close down unlicensed hospitals and medical facilities has come in the wake of rampant indiscipline and malpractices in the country's health sector. Over the past two decades, media reports have highlighted alarming accounts of the operations of numerous medical establishments that have flourished unchecked due to oversight of the regulatory body, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). During a press conference this week, the health minister, expressing strong disapproval of the current state of affairs, asked for some time to ensure that no unauthorised hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres operate anywhere in the country. During a series of drives conducted by the health ministry after the onset of COVID-19 in the country, it was found that 11,940 hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centres were providing medical services without proper facilities and approval from the DGHS. Of these, 3,535 were located in the Dhaka division. As a result of these findings, the DGHS has reportedly closed approximately 2,500 of these unlicensed facilities.
That the country's health sector is in total disarray has been evidenced in some of the recent incidents. There was a time when people mostly spoke of their sufferings due to inadequate or lack of facilities in hospitals. Lately, these sufferings bulged to bizarre proportions by the mercenary motives and malpractices that at times led to heinous criminality in both the public and private healthcare centres. While unauthorised medical facility is a big issue, the drawbacks and wrongdoings are aplenty irrespective of public and private medical entities.
Sometime back, the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) uncovered alarming tales of corruption within the public health sector, shedding light on the dismal state of the country's healthcare system. The TIB report revealed a complex web of corruption, ranging from bribery in the recruitment, posting, and transfer of physicians to questionable dealings between physicians and diagnostic centres. It also exposed corruption related to securing hospital seats, collusion with private clinics, and involvement of their intermediaries. Despite strong rebuttals from the authorities, common people, compelled to rely on available medical facilities, remain unconvinced by official dismissals. For, it is they who experience these malpractices routinely, day in and day out.
Addressing the indiscipline and disorderliness within the health sector faces a significant challenge. To start with, it is the will to bring some semblance of orderliness that is the foremost requirement. But given the state of things, it is more than apparent that such a 'will' has been missing. The health minister --- a renowned physician himself--- though new at his job but well aware of the overall healthcare situation, is expected to chart a course of action distinct from past failures. Hopefully, he views this endeavour as a mission and receives support from relevant stakeholders.