PM Tarique Rahman orders introduction of 'e-Health' card

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the introduction of an 'e-Health' card to ensure healthcare services for the people.

The prime minister issued this directive during a meeting with the health minister, state minister, advisers and health experts at the Prime Minister's Office in the Secretariat on Wednesday afternoon, March 4.

Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon said the prime minister has given appropriate instructions to the health minister to begin the process of introducing the e-Health card. The government's policy is to deliver healthcare services to people's doorsteps. The prime minister has directed the ministry to become more active in this regard.

The meeting also discussed identifying abandoned buildings under various government ministries and agencies and bringing them under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to establish health centres.

The additional press secretary informed that LGED alone has 170 abandoned buildings. The prime minister said abandoned buildings belonging to the government and its various institutions must be developed into clinics and medical centres. He has given necessary directives to the ministry in this regard.

The issue of population growth in the country also came up for discussion in the meeting. Statistics show approximately 3.4 million newborns are born each year. The additional press secretary said concern was expressed in the meeting over this birth statistics. The ministry has been asked to become more active in population control.

According to BNP's election manifesto, the meeting also discussed the recruitment of 100,000 health workers (80 percent women and 20 percent men) and filling vacant positions for doctors and health workers in the health ministry, the additional press secretary informed.

Additionally, the prime minister urged the health minister to ensure that doctors regularly attend health centres in remote areas.

The meeting was attended by Health Minister Sardar Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain, State Minister M A Muhit, and senior government officials.