The government is set to launch five specialized 200-bed children’s hospitals in Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, Rajshahi and Cumilla within the next six months, significantly expanding pediatric healthcare services across the country.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, all necessary preparations have been completed to open the hospitals, which will feature intensive care unit (ICU) services, central air-conditioning and facilities for future expansion.
Officials said the hospitals in Barishal and Khulna are expected to begin operations by early August.
The tender process for procuring furniture and medical equipment has already been completed, while steps are underway to recruit the required workforce.
Each hospital will require 1,475 personnel to become fully operational. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has instructed the Ministry of Public Administration to take the necessary measures for manpower recruitment.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain recently visited the hospital facilities in Khulna, Barishal and Cumilla to review preparations.
During a visit to the Barishal Children’s Hospital, the minister announced that the facility would be inaugurated on August 1.
He said essential equipment, including neonatal ventilators, CT scan and X-ray machines, portable X-ray units, multiparameter cardiac monitors and phototherapy machines, would be supplied by July.
On May 10, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman directed the Health Ministry to quickly operationalize six completed but unused children’s hospitals across the country and instructed senior officials to inspect the facilities and submit reports.
Speaking to BSS, the health minister said the five hospitals would begin operations within six months under the Prime Minister’s directive.
“These centrally air-conditioned hospitals will have ICU facilities. Tenders for furniture and equipment have already been completed,” he said.
He added that each hospital would initially provide ICU services with sufficient space reserved for future expansion of critical care facilities and bed capacity.
Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Health Affairs Dr SM Ziauddin Hyder said emergency services would be launched in the first phase at the Barishal Children’s Hospital after its opening in August.
In Khulna, efforts have intensified to operationalize the divisional children’s hospital. Officials expressed optimism that the facility would be opened within six months.
The government is also moving forward with plans to launch the Cumilla Children’s Hospital in the Beltali area of Sadar South. Authorities have already submitted manpower and equipment requirements to the relevant ministries.
Meanwhile, the long-awaited Rangpur Children’s Hospital is set to begin operations after remaining unused for six years despite the completion of construction work.
Director General of the Directorate General of Medical Education Dr Nazmul Hossain recently inspected the facility and said the government is working to bring completed but unused health infrastructure into service.
The government has also taken steps to launch the Rajshahi Children’s Hospital within the next three months.
Health Services Division Secretary Md Kamruzzaman Chowdhury said outpatient services would be introduced in the first phase, while additional services would be gradually expanded in the next fiscal year.
Officials said the initiative is expected to improve access to specialized healthcare services for children and reduce pressure on major hospitals in Dhaka and other urban centres.
