8 unregistered hospitals, clinics sealed off in Dhaka

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) sealed off eight unregistered hospitals and clinics at different parts in the capital Dhaka on Monday to bring discipline and to ensure standard and quality in the country’s health sector.

The health service-providing institutions are Khilgaon General Hospital, Central Basabo General Hospital, Kanak General Hospital at Matuail, Salman Hospital and Diagnostic Centre at Shanir Akhra, Khidma Life Care Diagnostic Centre at Bakshi Bazar, Dhaka General Hospital at Chankharpol, and Hair Transplant Cosmetic Surgery Consultancy and Diagnostic Centre and Dhaka Pain and Spine Centre in the Banani area.

After a three-month break, the health department went on the drive as part of its effort to stop unethical and substandard practices in the health sector, according to the health department.

Earlier in the day, Prof Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general (administration) of the DGHS, at a press conference in the capital on the eve of the drive, said the same procedure that was applied earlier will be in place to make the effort successful.

“We had given three months to the unauthorised hospitals and clinics for licences. But, we have seen that many institutions did not care about it and they are operating without a licence. Those who did not grab the opportunity and apply for registration or even those who have applied but are still waiting for the registration will not be able to run the hospitals or clinics,” he said.

Legal action will be taken against the physicians, who are found working at any unlicensed or illegal health service-providing institutions, he warned.

Earlier, DGHS conducted a nationwide drive against the unregistered hospitals and clinics starting from the last week of May and shut down 1,641 institutions across the country.

During the drives, it also realised fines amounting over Tk 25.18 crore.

There are 11,000 hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres in the country and questions have been raised over the standards and qualities of many of them, according to the DGHS.