Since the first corona patient was identified in the country in March, Bangladesh’s lack of preparedness to deal with the crisis has started to become apparent. Although very confident statements were made from various leading personalities of the government, the real picture was different. Initially, there were no clear guidelines for providing medical services to public and private hospitals, doctors and others concerned. Over time, the irregularities, weaknesses and mismanagement in the country’s healthcare sector have surfaced in the media, especially the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) that are supposed to play a leading role in this crisis, the lack of coordination between them, contradictory statements and the trend of blaming each other became clearly visible.

Lately, after the allegations of corruption, irregularities and deceit by Regent Hospital, which was given approval for corona treatment by the DGHS, and sample collector Jobeda Khatun General Health Care (JKG), the incident of MoHFW and DGHS blaming each other have come
as a shock to the public. At the same time, the extreme mismanagement of the country’s health system has caused even more anxiety. According to media reports, the license of Regent Hospital has not been approved after 2014. It is to be noted that Regent Hospital had been previously approved as a diagnostic center. Naturally, the question arises with regard to the process through which the DGHS endorsed a diagnostic center to test for and treat corona patients, a centre which has been without permission for a long time!

We have learned from the media that the DGHS entered into an agreement with Regent Hospital on the instructions of the higher authorities of MoHFW. On the other hand, it has also been reported that MoHFW sought an explanation from the DGHS for this statement, which makes the detachment between these two important authorities clear. We have also learned earlier that in the name of N-95 mask, ordinary masks were provided to hospitals for doctors and other health workers responsible to treat corona virus or other patients, putting them at extreme risk. It has also been alleged that many of the doctors were even transferred for protesting against the provision of these masks. And last but not the least, the National Security Intelligence found less masks than the contract in the cartons supplied by Toma Construction Company, at the Department of Health’s central pharmacy in June. These incidents bring to the fore the issue of irregularities, mismanagement and lack of effective monitoring.

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) is deeply concerned about this extreme irregularity, corruption, mismanagement, lack of coordination, oversight and above all lack of accountability in the health sector. Ensuring the health care service of the citizens is recognised in the Constitution of Bangladesh as a fundamental principle of state policy. It is one of the human rights which are explicitly mentioned in human rights standards, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The current situation is undermining this right of the citizens. ASK believes that it is due to the irresponsibility of those concerned that the people, doctors and health workers are in such misery today and the Corona crisis in the country has reached its peak.

ASK believes that in order to prevent the recurrence of such serious irregularity and corruption in the health sector, it is essential to take effective action against those involved through the judicial investigation of these incidents. At the same time, ASK is urging to make public within five weeks what action has been taken against those involved, including the investigation report.