Staff Correspondent

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain Bokul said, the government is determined to elevate the standard of healthcare across the country by integrating state-of-the-art medical equipment into public hospitals.

The Minister was speaking as the chief guest at a ceremony held on Thursday morning at Dhaka Medical College (DMC) to hand over advanced microscopes and laboratory equipment to its Pathology Department.

During his address, Minister Sakhawat Hossain Bokul revealed that plans are already underway to modernize the national medical education curriculum. He noted that a comprehensive proposal has been prepared to restructure the existing syllabus, aligning it with the developed world to ensure future doctors receive global-standard training.

Reflecting on past challenges, the Health Minister pointed out that Dhaka Medical College had lagged behind global medical advancements over the last 17 years. He specifically highlighted the vulnerability of the Pathology Department—the backbone of clinical diagnosis—recalling that no government allocation was provided for three years after its primary microscope broke down. He emphasized that the newly handed-over, latest-model advanced microscope will now enable highly precise, one-sitting cancer diagnoses, marking a significant milestone for patient care. Additionally, the minister announced a fast-tracked tender process to permanently eliminate institutional irregularities in diagnostic instrument (DI) supplies.

Responding to a query by journalists regarding whether the Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) Super Specialized Hospital would be privatized, the minister clarified that the institution will remain entirely state-owned. However, it will be run under a modern, corporate-style, non-profit company management structure. He explained that it will be modeled after world-class institutions like Thailand’s Bumrungrad Hospital or Singapore’s Mount Elizabeth Hospital, offering one-stop emergency care and modern therapeutic services. The government will regulate medical fees so that ordinary citizens can access world-class treatment at minimal costs.

Addressing the ongoing dengue situation, the minister stated that the government has been actively executing community-level cleanliness drives at the district and upazila levels for the past two months. Doctors have undergone specialized training, and the ministry has decided to procure a specialized medical tablet within a few days to destroy Aedes mosquito larvae rapidly in stagnant water, discarded coconut shells, and tires.

The high-profile event was attended by Health Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman Chowdhury, Director General of Health Services Prof Dr. Probhat Chandra Biswas, Director General of Medical Education Prof Dr. Nazmul Hossain, DMC Principal Prof Dr. Md. Mazharul Shaheen, and Vice-Principal Prof Dr. Mosarrat Sultana, among other senior health officials and faculty members.