PM for zero tolerance against wrong treatment, negligence: Health minister

Health minister Samanta Lal Sen said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed to show zero tolerance against wrong treatment and medical negligence.

“I met the prime minister on the day before yesterday (Sunday). She told me, ‘I am directing you to show zero tolerance, and if any incident related to wrong treatment and medical negligence takes place, I will, of course, take action against you’.”

Samanta Lal Sen said this while speaking to journalists during a visit to Kumudini Hospital in Mirzapur, Tangail on Monday.

The minister said he has been working with a clear goal so that people do not face hassle while receiving treatment.

“My first goal is to ensure medical care for the marginal people. I want to spread the medical care in every corner of Bangladesh. If we can make the upazila health complexes and the district hospitals self-reliant, patients will no longer go to big cities including Dhaka and Chattogram. It will create a better atmosphere at hospitals and people will receive treatment in villages,” he added.

Mentioning that he has worked at hospitals throughout his life, Samanta Lal Sen said, “I know what hassle a poor person faces when he comes to Dhaka. Nobody knows about it more than me.”

Not all physicians of Bangladesh are bad, there are good physicians too, he stressed adding, “I will give protection to physicians and patients. We must look into why physicians do not want to stay in villages. We must talk to physicians. It is also important how much security physicians have in villages. If I can give protection to physicians in villages, they will certainly stay in villages.”