Opposition MPs again ask Bangladesh health minister to go

Opposition lawmakers in the parliament once again demanded resignation of health minister Zahid Maleque for what they said his failure to manage the Covid situation.

Taking part in the closing-day discussion of the Jatiya Sangsad’s national budget session for the 2021–22 fiscal year, opposition legislators also lambasted the health minister over the oxygen crisis at Covid hospitals amid the coronavirus onslaught and irregularities in the health sector.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party lawmaker for the Bogura-6 constituency Gulam Mohammad Siraj said that his district had become a Covid hotspot.

He pointed out that there had been 24 Covid deaths in Bogura district over the past three days, adding that the reason for the deaths was a lack of high-flow nasal cannulas to supply oxygen to Covid patients.

He urged the authorities to arrange 20 such nasal cannulas for Bogura and ensure a constant supply of oxygen there.

Jatiya Party lawmaker for the Pirojpur-3 constituency Rustum Ali Faraji said that the minister earlier did not answer his question over health sector corruption.

‘I asked him why masks that cost Tk 4 each had been bought for Tk 356 apiece. He must investigate the issue and take action. That is the minister’s responsibility,’ Faraji said.

But the health minister tried to evade the question claiming that the allegation was false, he noted.

‘I have presented evidence and it has been discussed by the parliamentary committee on the health ministry. The Anti-Corruption Commission is also aware [of the corruption],’ he said.

Faraji went on that the media had reported the issue while a project director, too, admitted the corruption, saying that he was not in the project at the time.

‘What is he doing? The health minister should have ordered an investigation instead of avoiding the matter. He has to take action,’ the lawmaker demanded.

JP lawmaker Kazi Firoz Rashid said that seven Covid patients had died at a Satkhira hospital in an hour due to lack of oxygen.

‘That is in the constituency of Ruhal Haque, a former health minister,’ he added.

He further said that though Covid patients were admitted to ICUs no one checked up on them.

Mujibul Haque Chunnu, another JP lawmaker, exclaimed that the health minister had compared the country’s healthcare system with that of the United States!

‘The minister also claimed that he had done a lot for the health sector in one year or so. But news is pouring in that there is no oxygen system in 36 districts of Bangladesh. If five patients get oxygen at a hospital, then 20 patients wait in lines,’ said Mujibul, also a former state minister.

Referring to the resignation of the health ministers of New Zealand and the UK, the lawmaker said: ‘What a man our health minister is, I don’t understand! He is ashamed of nothing, he has no character. He should resign!’

Blasting the health minister, BNP lawmaker M Harunur Rashid said that he had put the whole house to shame with his remark that there was shortage of manpower and equipment in the health sector.

‘Isn’t it his responsibility to ensure enough manpower and adequate equipment for the sector?’ the lawmaker asked.

JP chairman GM Quader alleged that the health minister even did not receive his phone.

‘The water purification part of dialysis machines at Rangpur Medical College Hospital has been out of order for about eight months. As a result, 25 dialysis machines there became useless. Following the repair work done with the help of locals by raising a donation of Tk 6 lakh, 15 machines are now working while 10 still remain out of order,’ said Kader, also deputy opposition leader of the house.

He resented that he had seen no result after informing the health ministry of the matter.

‘Two to three months ago, I personally requested the secretary of the ministry for the repair of the machines but no work was done,’ he added.

Earlier in several JS sessions, opposition lawmakers demanded resignation of the health minister while treasury bench members, too, criticised the minister for health sector corruption and irregularities.

News Courtesy:

https://www.newagebd.net/article/142720/opposition-mps-again-ask-bangladesh-health-minister-to-go