Online Desk: The shortage of skilled manpower is among the biggest challenges to the development of the country’s health sector as the government has improved healthcare services, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque.

The country’s health sector will need more skilled manpower but it would take a long time to settle, he added.

“Earlier, hospitals had 30,000 beds, now the number has been increased to 70,000. They have to be managed; new institutions are being created including medical colleges. These institutions require trained manpower”, he said this while talking to reporters at the secretariat on Monday.

The health minister mentioned that Bangladesh has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first country in the world to eliminate black fever.

The country’s success in eliminating filariasis is also a major achievement, he said.

The minister said that the number of medical colleges in districts and upazilas has increased from 5 to 37.

The number of ICUs has increased from 500 to 1500. There is no shortage of medicine in Bangladesh. Medicines of Bangladesh are now exported. Central oxygen lines and oxygen plants have been installed in 120 hospitals, he said.

“As a result, we have secured the first place in controlling Covid-19 pandemic in Asia,” the minister said.

He claimed that a small portion of people now travel abroad for treatment as healthcare services have improved.

“There has been tremendous development in the health sector of the country and the health sector dealt well with the Covid-19 pandemic. But some people couldn’t see the development”, he said.

Meanwhile, the minister congratulated Prime Minister’s daughter Saima Wazed for being elected Regional Director of South East Asia Region of World Health Organization (WHO).