Medical equipment lying packed at 16 hospitals; HC orders probe

The High Court on Sunday ordered the Health Ministry to investigate the allegation over medical equipment lying packed at 16 hospitals.

Dhaka, Sept 12 :  The High Court on Sunday ordered the Health Ministry to investigate the allegation over keeping 28 medical diagnostic equipment unused for long at 16 government hospitals.

The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman passed the order after hearing a petition filed in the form of Public Interest Litigation.  

The Health Services Division Secretary has been asked to execute the order and submit a report on it to the court.  

The court also issued a rule seeking explanations as to why the negligence of the defendants for keeping those equipment unused for long should not be declared illegal.

Twenty-one officials concerned, including the health secretary, the director general of DGHS, and the directors of 16 hospitals, have been asked to respond to the rule within four weeks.  

On August 24, a report was published in a national daily saying 28 medical equipment remained unpacked at 16 government hospitals.

Later, Manoj Kumar Bhowmik filed the writ petition with the High Court on August 26.  

In the report, 28 diagnostic devices including X-ray, ultrasonogram (USG) and ECG machines and ventilators are left packed in 16 government hospitals of the country. And some of those have already gone out of order while some more are about to get damaged.

Thirteen X-ray machines, six ventilators, four ultrasonography machines, an ECG machines, a laparoscopy, a culture incubator, a hot air oven and an autoclave machine have been lying unpacked in various medical college hospitals, district hospitals and upazila health complexes, reports UNB.