Health Minister's surprise visit, hospital deputy director withdrawn

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain made a surprise visit to the 250-bed General Hospital in Noakhali. During the visit, the minister expressed his anger after finding evidence of extreme mismanagement, dirty environment and late attendance of doctors. The hospital's deputy director Dr. Md. Farid Uddin Chowdhury has been ordered to be withdrawn immediately for negligence of duty.

The health minister made a surprise visit to Noakhali General Hospital without any prior announcement on Tuesday. He visited the male, female, children and diarrhea wards, emergency department and various units of the hospital. During this time, he expressed his dissatisfaction after seeing the unhygienic environment and dirty toilets. In addition, many doctors were not present at the scheduled time as per government rules.

Seeing the administrative laxity, the minister called the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services directly from the place of inspection on his mobile and ordered the withdrawal of the deputy director on an urgent basis. Later, he also spoke to the Secretary of the Health Services Department, Kamruzzaman, and urged for immediate action to eliminate the overall mismanagement of the hospital.

The Health Minister told reporters, "No kind of negligence or filthiness will be tolerated in the health services of the people. Doctors will not come on time, hospitals will remain dirty - this culture must be stopped. Those who cannot perform their duties have no right to remain in their posts."

The Minister warned the hospital authorities that if the environment does not improve in the next few days and 100% attendance of doctors is not ensured, more serious punitive measures will be taken.

Noakhali Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Shafiqul Islam, Superintendent of Police NM Nasir Uddin, Civil Surgeon Dr. Anwar Hossain and senior officials of the district and police administration were present during the inspection.