Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today called for rebuilding trust, respect and compassion among doctors, patients and their family members, saying no amount of infrastructure development can ensure quality healthcare unless these three groups maintain a relationship built on mutual respect and empathy.
“If doctors feel insecure instead of having mutual trust and respect, or if patients and their relatives do not feel a relationship of trust and dignity with doctors, then no matter how much we develop hospital infrastructure, we cannot stop people from seeking medical treatment abroad,” he said.
The prime minister made the call after inaugurating newly constructed 15-storey building (Bhaban-2) -2 of the 500-bed hospital at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar this morning.
The PM said, the objective of a modern healthcare system is not merely the expansion of infrastructure and technology, rather, it is to ensure accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare for every citizen through a combination of advanced technology, skilled human resources, good governance, and timely policies.”
“I would like to believe that with the inauguration of Bhavan-2 of the 500-bed NINSH today, we have taken another step forward toward achieving that goal,” he added.
Recalling former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman said she had laid the foundation stone of the hospital on October 23, 2006. “With more modern facilities in response to the needs of the time, the hospital has now taken a larger form in terms of its size and capacity,” he said.
The prime minister underscored the need to combine modern technology with humanity in medical services, saying, “Technology can identify a disease, but there is no alternative to a doctor’s humane behaviour in understanding a patient’s fear, anxiety and mental suffering and reassuring the patient.”
“Compassionate care, active listening, and empathy toward a patient’s mental state elevate the quality of treatment significantly. However, maintaining uninterrupted healthcare and a peaceful environment isn’t the sole responsibility of doctors- it is a collective duty shared by us all,” he added.
Highlighting government efforts to extend healthcare to remote areas, the prime minister stated that a healthcare system cannot be considered truly modern if quality medical care remains accessible only to the urban wealthy.
“Work is underway to set up an effective referral framework driven by e-health cards, ensuring patients in remote regions to get treatment without coming to the capital by spending huge amounts of money,” he added.
As part of this initiative, the Prime Minister said, work has begun to establish fully functional Primary Health Care Units in every union of the country.
“At the same time, each upazila hospital will be upgraded to 151-bed hospital in phases during the tenure of the present government, InshaAllah,” he added.
Highlighting the importance of children’s health and education, Tarique Rahman said, “Today’s children are the future of tomorrow. It is our collective responsibility to pay special attention to children’s education and health for building a healthy future of the nation.”
“With this vision in mind, the government is formulating a modern education curriculum for children while placing equal emphasis on child healthcare,” he added.
Referring to the highest allocation for the health sector in the national budget, the prime minister said the government’s pledge to build a Healthy Bangladesh is not merely a slogan.
The government wants to build an effective healthcare system so that citizens do not have to go abroad for treatment and no one is deprived of healthcare due to a lack of money, he said.
The Prime Minister said the hospital’s new building would greatly expand the country’s capacity to treat stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and complex spinal disorders.
“Equipped with state-of-the-art intensive care units, operation theatres and diagnostic facilities, this building will serve as a major milestone not only in healthcare services but also in medical research and higher education,” he said.
Reaffirming government’s commitment for a welfare- state, the prime minister said, “the government is committed to establishing a welfare-oriented state where no citizen will have to go abroad to receive treatment and no one will be deprived of healthcare due to financial hardship.”
“I hope that you will ensure quality healthcare for ordinary people through your services,” he added.
The prime minister, accompanied by his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman inaugurated the 15-storey building at around 10:00am this morning.
After inaugurating the building, the prime minister planted a sapling on the hospital premises. He later joined a munajat and released pigeons and balloons as part of the inauguration programme.
The new facility is expected to further expand specialised neurological treatment services in the country and help accommodate the growing number of patients seeking treatment at the hospital.
Social Welfare Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain, State Minister for Health Dr. M A Muhit and other officials were present at the programme.
According to the officials, the NINSH is the largest specialised neuroscience hospital in South Asia in terms of bed capacity.
The hospital began its journey in 2012 with a 10-storey building and 300 beds. In response to the growing number of patients, its capacity was later expanded by another 200 beds.
The newly constructed 15-storey building has now added 500 more beds, bringing the hospital’s total capacity to 1,000 beds.
The 15-storey building has three basement levels for parking and service facilities, while the upper 12 floors house wards, operation theatres and diagnostic units. It also has 40 ICU beds, 20 HDU beds, 24 post-operative beds and 112 cabins.
