As many as 69 private medical college hospitals under Bangladesh Private Medical College Association (BPMCA) are and will remain open to cater to patients during the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak in the country.
The platform’s Secretary-General Enamur Rahman Enam made the announcement at a video-conference in Dhaka on Thursday.
The development came amid growing criticism from different quarters over the fact that a number of private hospitals stopped treating patients due to the spread of coronavirus, adding to the woes of patients suffering from different health issues.
“Doctors, nurses, and health technicians at 69 medical college hospitals are always ready to treat any kind of ailment, and are already working there,” said Enam, also the state minister for Disaster Management and Relief.
Promising the countrymen of all-out medical support, he urged them to see doctors at nearby medical college hospitals if needed.
“Alongside the government, we are also committed to treating patients during this crisis,” he concluded.
Refuting the allegations of many private hospitals being shut following the outbreak, BPMCA President Mubin Khan said some of the 69 hospitals are even up to 700-bedded which are open round-the-clock.
“We have already sat with the prime minister’s principal secretary to propose that some of our medical college hospitals can be used for treating Covid-19 patients,” he furthered.
On April 4, Health Minister Zahid Maleque warned that the government would take a hard-line against the authorities that shut down private hospitals across the country ever since the outbreak started escalating.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the doctors who denied treating patients amid the coronavirus outbreak, have no right to continue with their jobs.
