Be careful about treatment of poor patients: PM

Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina Tuesday asked the concerned authorities to be careful about the treatment of the poor patients and ensure that none is deprived of healthcare services due to financial hardship. The Prime Minister said this when a teachers' delegation of Dhaka Medical College (DMC) Alumni Trust led by DMC Principal Prof Deen Mohammad called on the PM at her office in the city Tuesday, reports BSS. Briefing journalists after the meeting, PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said Sheikh Hasina mentioned that her government, during its previous tenure, had undertaken a plan to construct around 18,000 community clinics across the country. "But, the subsequent BNP-Jama'at alliance government cancelled the project being envious of Awami League (AL) government's success," she said. Referring to her government's stride to ensure healthcare service for every citizen, she said, "I personally wish that each division of the country has a medical university". Mentioning the UN Secretary General's appreciation of the success of Bangladesh in women and child health, the PM said the people of the country would have benefited if the community clinics were constructed in due time. "After coming to power this time we have revived the projects and constructed a total of 11,000 clinics to ensure medicare services for women and children in rural areas of the country," she said. Sheikh Hasina said her government made a provision for Tk 50 million for treatment of the poor patients when Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) was founded during the previous AL administration. The fund has now been raised to Tk 80 million, she said. The delegation informed the PM of various problems of the DMC. She gave a patient hearing and assured them of taking necessary measures to resolve the problems. The AL leader said her government is making constant efforts to promote science and technology universities in the country. "For the first time, we have undertaken a plan to build 12 science and technology universities in the country including three agriculture universities," she said. PM's Principal Secretary Sheikh M Wahid-Uz-Zaman, PMO Secretary Mollah Waheeduzzaman and Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad were also present.