Welcoming recent drives against unauthorised private health facilities, the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Wednesday suggested the government form a separate authority to monitor and ensure the quality of services at those health centres.
However, the anti-graft watchdog believes that the ongoing drives aren't enough to ensure good governance in the health sector which has been plagued with widespread corruption and irregularities.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has recently launched a countrywide crackdown against illegally-operated private hospitals, clinics and diagnostics.
As of Tuesday (May 31), the DGHS sealed off 1,334 private healthcare centres across the country.
In Dhaka division, a total of 286 private healthcare centres were shut while 212 in Chattogram, 193 in Rajshahi, 73 in Rangpur, 147 in Mymensingh, 65 in Barishal, 47 in Sylhet and 311 in Khulna, according to DGHS.
Referring to the drives, TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said a good number of applications were submitted to the DGHS for new licence and renewal of licence for private health facilities after the first day's drive.
"Many of these health centres have long been operating without licence which proves that there was lack of monitoring by the authorities concerned," he said.
He said the government can form a separate authority to oversee the activities of the private health sector to ensure service quality and accountability.
He also emphasised the importance of enacting the draft law for regulation and practice of private clinics and laboratories as soon as possible to get benefits for a longer period.
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