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PM calls for more private medicare initiatives

Apollo hospital opens on high hopes

UNB, Dhaka
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday said her government is updating the national health policy as part of its relentless effort to enhance the quality of healthcare to ensure people's access to improved medicare.
"Access to healthcare is a basic right of the people," she said while inaugurating the most modern hospital with a call for the private sector to supplement government efforts.
"It is not possible on part of the government alone to ensure this rights of all citizens due to resource constraints, but medicare facilities can be provided through setting up newhospitals," she stated.
The 450-bed world-class Apollo Hospital in the Basundhara housing enclave will have over 60 speciality medical departments to provide all high-end medical services.
Promoted in Bangladesh by STS Holdings Limited, the 38th branch of worldwide hospital chain in Dhaka is equipped with world’s latest technologies.
The prime minister in her speech said that it is possible to create modem treatment facilities in the country through private initiative.
Khaleda listed the incentives introduced by her government for setting up modem, specialised and referral hospitals in Bangladesh.
"The referral hospitals can now import necessary equipment duty-free. Taxes have been reduced on some lifesaving medical items," she pointed out.
"We have a new infrastructure guideline that paves the way for building quality hospitals by foreign investors," she said, hoping that entrepreneurs from home and abroad will come forward in a big way to sei up more hospitals in the country.
She lauded the decision of Apollo Hospital authorities to keep 10 percent beds free of charge for the poor and hoped that others would follow suits.
The PM urged the authorities to keep fees for treatment of various complex diseases and tests to a tolerable limit.
She told the audience that the government is formulating laws to ensure the standard of service in the private hospitals. "A policy would soon be announced for private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres, "she said.
She also informed that appointment of foreign doctors in exchange for technology transfer to the foreign-invested hospitals is being considered by the government, which, she hope, will help enrich local doctors’ experience.
She also mentioned her government’s efforts in the health sector, including increase in the number of beds in public hospitals.
Modern medical equipment is being provided and the standard of service being improved at the district-level government hospitals, she said.
Special programme has been taken for development of human resources in the health sector, the prime minister told the function, adding that 'Accreditation Council' has been formed to improve professional standard of the doctors.
The prime minister later went round the hospital taking a close look at the medical facilities available.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, India, DR PC Reddy, Chairman of STS Holdings Bhagwan W Kundanmal, Managing Director of STC Group Khondoker Moniruddin and Director of STS Group MA Moyeen also spoke on the opening ceremony.
Ministers, MPs, PM's political secretary, diplomats, a large number of physicians from home and abroad and CEO of Apollo Hospital Dhaka Richard Larrison were present.