Minister stresses hospital cleanliness to curb infections

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain has directed the authorities concerned to form a committee to review measures for infection prevention and disease control.

He gave the directive while speaking at a seminar on infection prevention and control at the National Burn Institute in the city on Monday. Sardar Sakhawat Husain said greater emphasis must be placed on preventing infections rather than relying solely on antibiotics to treat them.

“We cannot rely solely on antibiotics to treat infections. Greater importance must be given to infection prevention,” the minister said. He also stressed the need for sustained efforts and public awareness to prevent major diseases and infections.

“To prevent major diseases and infections, we have to work consistently. Besides, everybody must be made aware about this issue,” he added.

Speaking at the seminar, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant SM Ziauddin Hyder said improving hospital cleanliness was essential alongside maintaining personal hygiene to prevent infections.

He also stressed the need to bring private hospitals under proper waste management alongside government hospitals. Director of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS) Prof Dr Mohammad Nasir Uddin presided over the event. Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Pravath Chandra Biswas and President of the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons Prof Dr Moudud Hossain Alamgir also spoke at the seminar. Associate Professor Dr Shaheda Anwar of the Department of Microbiology at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) presented a scientific paper.

Director of Infection Prevention at SingHealth Ling Moi Lin and Director of the International Collaboration Office (ICO) at SingHealth Vijaya Rao also presented papers on infection prevention and control.
Bangladesh Infection Prevention and Control Foundation (BIPCF) President Prof Dr Zahidul Hasan delivered the welcome address.