Even after the World Health Organisation declared the outbreak of coronavirus as a global pandemic, the government of Bangladesh could not fully grasp the gravity of the danger. The government has been saying constantly that it has taken all the necessary preparations, but in reality effective preparation has been very little.
Experts are apprehensive that we are moving towards the final stage through transmission of the infection among people. The number of infected people has started to increase rapidly. Some virologists call this the critical phase.
It is not clear to us at this critical stage, how exactly the government planned to deal with this serious national crisis. Asserting that the situation is under control, the government made several announcements about financial stimulus packages.
But we could not know is how a large number of people will be cured if infected at a time, what to do to stop the transmission and whether the government has the overall capacity to do the two major tasks in a wide scope.
It is not possible for any government in the world to handle the pandemic alone. We saw the private sector coming forward to assist governments in different countries during the ongoing crisis. Not only big businesses, industries and services organisations, but private sector health care organisations are also assisting the governments in dealing with the pandemic.
So far in Bangladesh, three private organisations have come forward to cooperate with the government. Relief work has also started at the social and individual level. However, the private medical institutions, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment companies also have to come forward.
Notably Bangladesh’s healthcare system is largely dependent on the private sector. Public sector only bears 34 per cent of the total health expenditure (THA). The remaining 66 percent of THA is paid by the patients to the private sector. So at the moment of this crisis, private healthcare organisations have a lot to do for the people.
Private hospital authorities expressed their wish to give a hand to the government at this time of the crisis. At least 20 private hospitals have the ability to perform coronavirus detection tests through PSR system.
It is possible to overcome the shortage of tests if we can utilise that. But the government had not given its approval for these hospitals to conduct the virus tests.
We believe they should be allowed to do so and also provided with the kits needed for testing. Treating coronavirus patients and separating other patients in the process would be easier this way. In addition, some private hospitals can only be referred for the treatment of coronavirus patients.
Government decisions and initiatives are needed to engage the private health care sector in tackling this crisis. It has to begin right away. It's already too late.