Govt likely to set service rate of private healthcare facilities

The government is likey to set the treatment charges for private healthcare facilities, says Health Minister Zahid Maleque.

The minister hinted that all private hospitals and clinics will be divided into three categories based on quality of service.

These private hospitals will be labelled as A, B and C category based on their quality of services, he added.

The minister made the statement  at a meeting on ‘fixing fees of private hospitals’ at the Secretariat on Thursday.

He said: "No hospitals and clinics, even the five-star ones, in the private sector can breach the new systrm."

The categories will be determined based on manpower and equipment capacity, he added.

“The government is emphasizing on primary healthcare. However, instructions have been given to prevent the unplanned establishment of clinics and hospitals in villages in the name of primary treatment,” he said.

Private hospitals should improve the quality of services, he said adding, “Only those hospitals will perform surgeries which have the capacities and adequate equipment.”

“If the quality of healthcare is improved, people will not go abroad for treatment. Bangladesh is losing billions of dollars as many people are taking treatment abroad,” he said.

Besides, the government is also taking a strict stance on closure of unregistered diagnostic centres, he said.

The rural doctors who do not have any academic certificates cannot continue practice. “Many doctors in the rural areas prescribe antibiotics in all cases,” said the minister.