The newly appointed Health Minister and State Minister have issued a series of directives to officials in the ministry, emphasizing the need for a six-month action plan to enhance the efficiency and citizen-centric nature of health services. During a recent meeting, they urged officials to address the significant number of vacant positions in field administration, highlighting that approximately one-third of positions remain unfilled. Furthermore, they stressed the importance of establishing a transparent and corruption-free health administration.
Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain and State Minister for Health MA Muhit delivered these directives during their initial meeting with ministry officials and agency heads at the secretariat. Following introductory sessions, Health Secretary Saidur Rahman provided an overview of the ministry’s responsibilities, ongoing activities, and existing challenges. In response to concerns about the unfilled positions, MA Muhit urged prompt action to fill these vacancies.
The Health Minister also instructed officials to develop a 180-day action plan aligning with the BNP’s health sector manifesto. Emphasis was placed on promoting punctuality, expediting administrative processes, and conducting surprise inspections at health facilities to monitor the attendance of medical staff. Additionally, there was an emphasis on enhancing the quality of medical education.
Key attendees at the meeting included Prof Abu Zafor, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services, and Prof Nazmul Islam, Director General of the Directorate General of Medical Education. Sakhawat, a graduate in economics from Dhaka University, assumed office as the Health Minister after being elected from Narasingdi-4. MA Muhit, an ophthalmologist elected from Sirajganj-6, also commenced his role in the ministry on the same day, following in the footsteps of his father, MA Matin, who previously served as Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister in the 1980s.