Sikder hospital’s Gulshan branch declared COVID-19 dedicated

ZH Sikder Women's Medical College and Hospital has launched coronavirus treatment at its 50-bed Gulshan branch, offering 20 per cent discount for frontline professionals.

The frontline professionals who will be entitled to receive the discount against the coronavirus-related medical services include physicians, nurses, health workers, journalists, police and government officials, as well as others working on the frontline, according to a press release of the hospital.

Health and family welfare minister Zahid Maleque officially inaugurated the hospital as the chief guest through a video conference.

After appreciating Sikder Group for its ‘pioneering role’ in the country’s healthcare sector, particularly in the treatment of heart disease, Zahid Maleque described this latest move as ‘a good initiative’ in light of the coronavirus crisis.

The 50-bed hospital has experienced physicians and nurses from home and abroad working with state-of-the-art equipment. In addition to a separate unit for sample collection and isolation wards, there are 21 new CCU and ICU beds.

With Sikder Group director Parveen Haque Sikder in the chair, the inauguration was also addressed by director general of the Department of Health Abul Kalam Azad.

According to the press release claim, the group's director Ron Haque Sikder had a leading role in overhauling the hospital into a COVID-focused one, but was unable to attend the inauguration.

Ron was trying to avoid arrest after Exim Bank authorities filed a case against him and his brother Dipu Haque Sikder on 19 May, for allegedly torturing two top officials of the bank and shooting at them with a firearm over negotiations for a Tk 5 billion loan.

The two brothers reportedly fled the country on 25 May, flying to Bangkok on an air ambulance.