Health ministry seeks Tk200cr for coronavirus fund

FT ONLINE

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on Wednesday, sought Tk200 crore more for its coronavirus fund.  

Additional Secretary to the ministry Md Sirajul Islam said that they have been suffering from a funding crisis.

"We told the finance minister that the health ministry needs Tk200 crore more to tackle the spread of coronavirus. Hopefully we will get the amount soon," he said after a meeting with Health Minister Zahid Maleque in the chair.

The meeting's participants decided to expand the capacity of isolation units in eight divisional headquarters, said Sirajul Islam.

Bangladesh reported its maiden coronavirus cases on March 8. Soon afterward, the health ministry asked the government for a Tk100-crore fund to tackle coronavirus.

The government, however, allocated Tk50 crore to the health service – to prevent the spread of the virus that first surfaced in China last December.

Apart from more isolation units in divisional towns, the additional secretary said that the health ministry will prepare the Tongi Bishwa Ijtema grounds to treat coronavirus cases.

"The number of isolation units at the district level will also be increased if required. The situation may take a deadly turn if we fail to save the virus-affected people," Sirajul Islam added.

"A ban on public transportation will be imposed as part of precautionary measures. We may have to take harsher decisions to protect the people from the virus," he further said.    

The health ministry said it will open a Facebook page and email account so that people can get easier and better access to healthcare.

About the safety of the frontline medical personnel, Additional Secretary Sirajul Islam said they are distributing protective equipment. Ministry sources said Beximco Group Chairman Salman F Rahman will donate 6,000 hazmat suits to the health ministry.

At the meeting, Health Minister Zahid Maleque urged people to avoid all public gatherings.