Biometric attendance and geo-fencing technology must be introduced to ensure full attendance of doctors and health workers at government hospitals. At the same time, hospital user fees, cabin rent, ICU charges, and various test fees must be collected through a fully digital system in phases. To ensure transparency and accountability in financial management, attendance data must be linked to salary, leave, and promotion.
PM orders biometrics rollout within 30 days
Prime Minister Tareque Rahman recently held discussions with officials and doctors during a visit to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Following that, these measures were mandated for implementation based on the prime minister’s directive. A circular has reportedly been issued by the directorate on the matter. To ensure healthcare delivery, the ministry has emphasized regularly monitoring progress on implementing these directives. Relevant institutions have been instructed to submit progress reports by the 15th of each month.
Reward for good work
To boost hospital efficiency and accountability, the prime minister has ordered identifying the top 5 percent and bottom 5 percent of institutions by performance each month. He said the best-performing institutions would receive incentives, while necessary punitive measures would be taken against poorly performing ones. If negligence of duty is confirmed, departmental action will also be taken against the relevant doctor and head of the institution. The circular states the prime minister will review progress on implementing these measures on August 25.
Hospital fee collection to go digital
To bring transparency to hospital financial management, an order has been issued to collect user fees, cabin rent, ICU charges, and various test fees through a fully digital system in phases. However, when revising or rationalizing cabin fees, the situation of poor and marginalized populations must be specially considered. It has also been directed that these measures must not, under any circumstances, create additional financial burden on poor patients.
A portion of the fees collected at hospitals, with the Finance Division’s approval, will go toward improving service quality and maintenance at hospitals. It has also been directed to strengthen integrated IT-based systems for medicine and medical supply stock, revenue collection, and overall financial management. This will establish more effective monitoring over hospital income and expenditure, medicine stock, and financial operations.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report