The minister made the announcement after inaugurating the 100-bed stroke unit at the National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital (NINH) at noon as the chief guest.
“The number of beds in every government hospital in the country has been doubled while the Cancer Hospital was upgraded to a 500-bed hospital from 200 last month,” Zahid Maleque said.
Mentioning that the process of setting up eight cancer hospitals in eight divisions is underway, the health minister said that the government has taken an initiative to double the number of ICU beds this year and decided to set up 250 new dialysis beds as well.
Mentioning that Bangladesh is ahead of most of the countries in the world in the treatment of stroke, Zahid Maleque said, “Establishing a 100-bed stroke unit in a government hospital is a rare feat. Expect a few, countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia don’t have a 100-bed stroke unit.”
Director of NINH Professor Quazi Deen Mohammad moderated the inauguration ceremony where Health Services Division Secretary Md Ashadul Islam, Director General of Health Services Dr Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad and Joint Director of NINH Dr Badrul Alam were present.