Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain conducted surprise visits to four hospitals in Barishal on Monday (11 May) to monitor healthcare services and assess the ongoing measles situation.
During his visit to the Barishal Sadar Hospital at 11:30 AM, the Minister addressed the media, providing updates on the government’s efforts to curb the recent measles outbreak and enforcing administrative discipline within the health complex.
Immediate Action on Negligence
The Minister’s visit began at 10:00 AM at the Sadar Hospital’s ticket counter. Upon finding a staff member absent from their duty station without authorization, he ordered their immediate temporary suspension. He also scrutinized the doctors' attendance registers and interacted directly with patients to hear their grievances regarding hospital services.
Insights on the Measles Outbreak
Addressing the spike in measles cases, the Health Minister explained the technical and administrative challenges the current government inherited:
Vaccination Gap: He noted that measles vaccines are typically administered in 4-year cycles. However, the cycle was broken after 2020, leading to the current surge in infections.
Supply Restoration: "The current government initially had no measles vaccines in stock. We managed to procure them in a very short timeframe," the Minister stated.
Immunity Timeline: He cautioned that it takes four weeks for vaccinated individuals to develop full immunity, after which the situation is expected to normalize.
Improving Outlook: He confirmed that the number of new cases is already beginning to decline.
High-Level Coordination
The Minister was accompanied during his inspections by:
Dr. S.M. Monjur-e-Elahi, Barishal Civil Surgeon.
The District Magistrate (DC) of Barishal.
Senior officials from the local administration and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Following the Sadar Hospital visit, the Minister proceeded to inspect three other healthcare facilities in the city to ensure that medical professionals are maintaining presence and providing adequate care to the public.
