Health minister finds doctors absent during surprise hospital visit in Narsingdi

Bangladesh Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain Bokul has warned that negligence in healthcare services will not be tolerated, stressing that medical staff must remain accountable for their duties to ensure proper treatment for patients at the grassroots level.

The health minister made the statement during a surprise inspection of Palash Upazila Health Complex in Narsingdi on Saturday morning.

Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain Bokul arrived at the hospital at around 8:30am without prior notice to assess whether doctors and staff were reporting to work on time and to review the overall standard of healthcare services at the government facility.

During the visit, the minister entered the hospital premises without formal protocol while patients had already begun gathering for treatment. He immediately checked the attendance register and duty roster to verify whether doctors and healthcare workers were present according to their assigned schedules.

The inspection revealed that several doctors and staff members were absent from their duties, prompting the minister to express dissatisfaction with the situation.

He later visited the emergency department, pathology laboratory and outpatient department, directing hospital authorities to improve cleanliness and ensure sufficient stocks of essential medicines.

Speaking with patients waiting for treatment, Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain Bokul listened to their concerns and reiterated that government health facilities must provide reliable services for citizens, particularly in rural and grassroots areas.

“Negligence in healthcare services for the grassroots people will not be tolerated,” the health minister said, adding that those who fail to perform their duties on time must be held accountable.

Officials present during the visit included Palash Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ishtiaq Ahmed, Ghorashal Municipality BNP president Alam Molla, and Upazila Family Planning Officer Atikul Islam.

The surprise inspection forms part of broader government efforts to strengthen accountability in Bangladesh’s public healthcare system and improve service delivery at upazila-level hospitals.