Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain has triggered strong reactions after saying that the director of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital “should be hanged” over the deaths of 33 children within the past 11 days.
The remark was made on Saturday during a programme on medical ethics at the Shaheed Abu Sayed International Convention Centre at Shahbagh in the capital.
The minister accused the hospital authority of failing to properly inform higher authorities about a critical shortage of ventilators.
“Despite so many deaths, he did not inform us that there were no ventilators available,” the minister said, referring to the hospital director.
He further alleged that when initially contacted, the director downplayed the situation and claimed that media reports had been exaggerated. However, a report received later confirmed the accuracy of those reports, leaving no room for denial.
The minister also pointed to bureaucratic delays in the government procurement process, stating that it is often difficult to arrange life-saving equipment like ventilators quickly through official channels. To address the urgent crisis, he said he personally took initiatives to procure equipment through private means.
“I have contacted a few pharmaceutical companies using personal connections, and with their assistance, three ventilators are being arranged on an emergency basis,” he said, adding that the initiative is being financed privately rather than through government funds.
He further mentioned that efforts are ongoing to secure two additional ventilators to ease the situation at the hospital.
The minister’s remarks have drawn attention to both the administrative shortcomings in handling the crisis and the broader challenges in the healthcare system, particularly regarding emergency preparedness and equipment availability.
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