Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits the 300-bed National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital after inaugurating it at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city on Wednesday. pmo photo
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits the 300-bed National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital after inaugurating it at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city on Wednesday. pmo photo
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday stressed that medical services should not be centralised in the capital and in cities.

She also asked the neurologists and neurosurgeons to go to remote areas and small towns to render their service so that poor patients can get treatment fast.

Patients having fast access to healthcare is the key to success of any treatment, Hasina said while inaugurating the country’s maiden 300-bed National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city.

The prime minister also expressed her strong resolve to turn Bangladesh into a healthy and middle-income nation by 2021 by effectively implementing the ‘Vision 2021’ if all concerned in the health sector keep putting in their sincere efforts.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque, PM’s Health and Family Welfare Adviser Dr Syed Modasser Ali, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Capt (retd) Mojibar Rahman Fakir also spoke on the occasion as special guests.

Chaired by Health and Family Welfare secretary M Humayun Kabir, the function was also addressed by Director General of Department of Health Dr Khondaker Mohammad Sefayet Ullah, Director of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Prof Abdullah Al Shafi Majumder and Director of the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital Prof Kazi Deen Mohammad.

The 300-bed Neurosciences Hospital comprises a 16-bed ICU having beds made by Japan, ventilator and pneumatic mattress facilities, ICP monitor, and round the clock facility for conducting biochemical tests. Besides, the hospital also has a 12-bed HDU, 6-bed recovery unit and 12-bed post operative room.

The Prime Minister said that the government is actively considering establishing medical universities in Chittagong and Rajshahi.

She said that the revised project proposal for the construction of the 2nd unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital will go to the ECNEC for its consideration.

Hasina said the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital, equipped with state-of-the art diagnostic and medical equipment, has been built at a cost of Tk 240 crore. This will be considered as globally recognised in certain fields.

She observed that although the country has been able to produce hundreds of neurologists and neurosurgeons, but the number is insufficient considering the country’s huge population.

The Prime Minister expressed her high optimism that this institute will soon become a world-class one if those who become neurologists and neurosurgeons with the taxpayers’ money render their best services with sincere attitude.

Mentioning that a healthy nation is very much needed to build a ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina said that her government has been working tirelessly to materialise that dream.

Earlier, the Prime Minister released commemorative stamp and first day cover marking the 30 years of open-heart surgery at the National Institute of Cardio-vascular Diseases (NICVD). —UNB