Some COVID-19 hospitals will be made non-Covid: Health Minister

MNA National Desk: Claiming that the number of coronavirus patients is decreasing, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said that some more Covid-19 dedicated hospitals would be made non-Covid-19 by the end of this month.

The Health Minister said this to reporters after a meeting on the progress of the project on setting up cancer hospitals at eight divisional levels at the secretariat on Thursday.

“We are a bit behind because of Covid-19. We have not been able to work for the last six to seven months. Now we have started working on the non-communicable diseases,” he added.

The Health Minister said, “The incidence of coronavirus is decreasing. Non-Covid patients did not receive proper treatment because of the coronavirus during the pandemic. We will be making many hospitals non-Covid at the end of this month. Everyone can take treatment here. Many patients need treatment but are unable to take treatment due to fear of Covid-19. They are taking treatment in consultation with the doctors at home.’

Zahid Maleque said, “If the situation improves by the end of this month, we will make several hospitals for non-Covid-19 patients. From there all non-Covid patiests can take treatment without fear. There will be no dilemma. The Covid-19 dedicated hospitals that will be declared non-Covid-19 will not provide Covid-19 treatment. There are many separate Covid-19 dedicated hospital where Covid-19 patients will be treateed.’

“The number of non-Covid-19 hospitals is yet to be finalized,” he said, adding that “at present, 70 per cent seats in Covid-19 dedicated hospitals are vacant.”