DGHS launches one-stop emergency and casualty in four hospitals
The service will be introduced in all government hospitals across the country in phases, says health minister
The health directorate has launched one-stop emergency and casualty services in the capital's Kurmitola General Hospital, Mugda General Hospital, Mitford Hospital, and Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital as part of its initiative to provide patients with all the latest medical tests and emergency services under one roof.
The one-stop centres in the four city hospitals have been started as model ones. Such emergency and casualty service would be introduced in all government hospitals, including upazila health complexes, across the country in phases, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque while addressing the opening ceremony of the one-stop emergency and casualty service at Kurmitola General Hospital on Monday.
He said the introduction of the one-stop service will help reduce patient pressure on the hospitals. At the same time, the quality of healthcare will increase and the mortality rate will decrease, he added.
Minister Maleque went on to say that if it is possible to provide all types of modern treatment in the emergency department of the hospital, the mortality rate will come down to a great extent.
"Many patients with complications including stroke and heart attack, and road accidents can avoid untimely death in the developed world, thanks to the availability of modern emergency services. If proper treatment can be provided even five minutes earlier, then it is possible to reduce many deaths in our country," he explained.
Professor Dr Abul Bashar Mohammed Khurshid Alam, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said the introduction of one-stop centres will enable hospitals to provide patients with necessary emergency services much faster.
In the event, Professor Dr Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general of the DGHS, said all the unpleasant incidents that happen between doctors and patients and their relatives are centred on emergency service management.
"If we have strong emergency services up to the marginal level, then this problem will be reduced to a great extent," he added.
The USAID, the International Federation of Red Cross, and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society have assisted the DGHS in implementing the One-Stop Emergency and Casualty project.
