Staff Correspondent

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen called for providing health services to the marginalised people to lessen the gradually mounting pressure on the hospitals.

"Pressure on the medical college hospitals will never be reduced if we fail to provide healthcare to the marginalised population," he said.The health minister came up with the observation while talking to the newsmen after emerging from a meeting with the administration, doctors and others concerned at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) on Monday.

Samanta Lal said the work of the medical college and hospital isn't only providing health services but also conducting academic and research activities.

There is a district hospital in Rajshahi but it's remained inoperative at present. "We will try to make it functional as soon as possible", he added.

Existing pressure on the RMCH will be reduced to a greater extent when the district hospital is functional, he added.

In the meeting, Minister Samanta Lal urged doctors and others concerned to perform their duties with utmost sincerity and honesty to reach healthcare services at the doorstep of rural and marginalised people.

Rural and marginalised people are totally dependent on public hospitals for emergency health problems and that is why the present government is committed to providing healthcare services to them.

The health minister said the government, under the dynamic and prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is sincerely working to ensure qualitative and standard healthcare services to all.

Earlier, the health minister went around RMCH's different units, including burn, and talked to the patients.