Health centres to remain open 24/7 to curb maternal mortality rate: minister

Health Minister Zahid Maleque today said the government will keep the more than 4,500 health and family welfare centres in the country open round the clock to reduce the maternal mortality rate.

"In our country, half of the delivery is still done at home. For this reason, the maternal mortality rate is not decreasing. To reduce this maternal mortality rate, institutional delivery will have to be increased. To that end, we have planned to keep the country's around 4,500 family welfare centres open 24 hours," he said.

He made the remarks at a view exchange meeting with concerned officials on improving the quality of health services at Colonel Maleque Medical College auditorium in Manikganj today.

The minister said the government has taken various initiatives to bring medical services to the doorsteps of people.

"The referral system has been strengthened to improve the quality of health services. People are starting to get services. People are no longer dying without treatment," he said.

Under a referral system, a patient first goes to a nearby primary healthcare centre, public or private. If need be, that healthcare centre will send the patient to hospitals that are better equipped to treat them.

Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam presided over the meeting. Additional Director General (Planning and Development) of the DGHS Prof Ahmedul Kabir, Principal of Colonel Malek Medical College Zakir Hossain, Acting Director of the Medical College Hospital Dr. Soumen Chowdhury, Civil Surgeon of Manikganj Dr Moazzem Ali Khan Chowdhury, Superintendent of Manikganj 250-bed Hospital Dr Md. Bahauddin were present in the event.