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Govt questions authenticity of TIB report on health sector

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim on Thursday raised questions about the authenticity of TIB’s recent report on widespread graft in the country’s health sector, saying it was not prepared based on facts.

“TIB gathered information from only 35 officials though some 2.5 lakh employees work under the Health Ministry. This is unfair to blame the entire institution for the misdeeds of some of its individuals,” he said.

Nasim was talking to reporters after a meeting at the Secretariat.

The minister, however, said the Health Ministry has formed a panel, headed by its secretary, to verify the corruption allegations made in the TIB report.

He also came down hard on leaders of different political parties, including BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, for their criticisms of the government and Awami League whenever Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) launches its reports, saying it cannot be accepted.

Earlier, the minister presided over a meeting on the evaluation of the progress in the Health Ministry’s move to evict unauthorised shops and establishments inside public hospitals to maintain cleanliness.

The meeting was also addressed by State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jahid Malek Swapan.

Briefing reporters about the meeting, the Health Minister said there will be a strict drive to ensure the cleanliness at hospitals.

He also said they would seek Home Ministry’s assistance to evict the Sattala Slum at Mahakhali as the land is owned by the Directorate General of Health Services.

A new study of the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) released on November 6 shows professionals and officials of the health sector allegedly pay Tk 5-10 lakh under the table to get promotion through the departmental promotion committee.

Illegal spending of money is a common phenomenon in hiring ad-hoc physicians and officials of the sector, according to the TIB study.

The report showed that professionals and officials of the health sector allegedly pay Tk 5-10 lakh under the table to get promotion through the departmental promotion committee.

Source: UNB

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