Health minister vows to end hospital broker syndicates, roll out AI-powered doorstep health screening
The minister says the government will not renew a foreign firm's dialysis contract and plans to expand low-cost dialysis services nationwide.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain today (29 July) pledged to permanently dismantle broker syndicates that divert patients from public hospitals to private clinics, while announcing an AI-powered doorstep health screening programme to improve early disease detection.
Speaking at the launch of a joint study by the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) and the Health Economics Unit on Bangladesh's public healthcare system, the minister said the government would strengthen monitoring to stop doctors and brokers from referring patients to private clinics and diagnostic centres in exchange for commissions.
He announced that, within the next three months, health workers in 10 upazilas and 90 wards will begin a pilot programme using bicycles, smartphones and AI-enabled diagnostic kits to provide basic health checks at people's home.
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The screenings will include blood pressure, blood sugar, lipid profile and other routine tests to help detect diseases at an early stage.
The minister also alleged widespread irregularities in public health procurement, claiming that tender conditions had often been manipulated to favour selected bidders and that costly medical equipment had previously been purchased without the necessary infrastructure or trained personnel.
Sakhawat said the government would not renew the contract of a foreign company currently operating dialysis services in Dhaka and Chattogram after it expires in November. Instead, dialysis machines will be procured directly by the government to reduce costs and expand access.
He further warned against bribery in ministry audits and pledged tougher oversight to curb unnecessary caesarean deliveries at private clinics.
