Capacity of Nat’l Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases to be increased to 1200 beds

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque has said the capacity of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases will soon be increased to 1200 beds.

The minister was addressing a discussion after the inauguration of the newly constructed Cardiac Cath Lab Zone-2 of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Hospital at Agargaon in the capital on Thursday morning.

"During the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the country's health sector has continued to provide all medical services alongside addressing the pandemic.

"On the one hand, efforts are being made to control Covid-19 and on the other hand, work is underway to boost non-Covid medical services," the minister said.

Construction work on eight state-of-the-art cancer hospitals has already started in the eight divisions of the country, he mentioned.

He added that the number of beds in country's all hospitals has been doubled.

The Dhaka Medical College Hospital is being upgraded to 5,000 beds, he continued, the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases is also being upgraded from 700 beds to 1,200 beds soon.

"Everything is being done to increase the benefits of medical services to the people," he added.

The health minister highlighted the success of the government in tackling the coronavirus and thanked the doctors and nurses engaged in providing medical services.

Zahid Maleque expressed his gratitude to the prime minister for the encouragement she has given in dealing with the novel coronavirus.

The health minister said, "So far, the World Health Organisation has not recognised any country for the vaccine. Whenever a country gets recognition, we will bring it to the country first.

"The government is in talks with other countries to bring the vaccine. If the vaccine is approved, there will be no delay in bringing it to our country."

Department of Health Director General ABM Khurshid Alam, Swadhinata Chikitshak Parishad Secretary General Prof MA Aziz among others also spoke at the meeting chaired by the National Institute of Cardiovascular DiseasesDirector Professor Mir Jamal Uddin.