Health directorate shuts down 727 illegal healthcare organisations

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has shut down 727 unregistered hospitals and clinics across the country in the last 16 days of January.

"According to the instructions of the High Court, a list of unlicensed hospitals and clinics across the country has been prepared. We have listed nearly a thousand unlicensed, substandard hospitals across the country. Out of those, 727 illegal hospitals, clinics, diagnostic, blood banks will be shut down across the country," DGHS Director (Hospitals and Clinics) Dr Abu Hossain Md Moinul Ahsan said.

"Some of these institutions have never been licensed, many clinics were licensed five years ago but the license was not renewed. And there are some clinics that could not meet the conditions of our policy at all. That is why they have been shut down through mobile courts," he added.

On 15 January, the DGHS directed the divisional health directors and civil surgeons to submit information on all unregistered hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres and blood banks.

Alongside preparing the list, raids were ongoing to shut down the unlicensed healthcare organisations.

According to sources of the hospital and clinic branch of the health services division, 105 hospitals, 139 diagnostic centres and 74 blood banks have been closed in Khulna; 70 hospitals, 40 diagnostic centres, 10 blood banks have been closed in Dhaka; 32 hospitals, 82 diagnostic centres have been closed in Chattagram division; 30 hospitals, 52 diagnostic centres and 10 blood banks have been closed in Rajshahi division; 16 hospitals, 43 diagnostic centres have been closed in Mymensingh; seven hospitals, 15 diagnostic centres have been closed in Barishal division; five hospitals, four diagnostic centres have been closed in Rangpur division and one hospital and one diagnostic centre have been closed in Sylhet.

The widespread operating  of unlicensed hospitals came into the fore following the death of five-year-old Ayaan Ahmed after undergoing circumcision under full anesthesia at United Medical College Hospital in Badda's Satakul area of the capital.

According to the DGHS, the hospital was operating without a license.