Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday stressed the need for improving the quality of education and healthcare services at private medical colleges.

“Many medical colleges are being set up by the private sector. But we've to see whether proper education is being provided by them or skilled doctors are being produced there,” she said.

The PM was addressing a programme marking the laying of foundation stone of Super Specialised Hospital of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and inauguration of the Convention Centre, Diagnostic and Oncology Building and Doctors Dormitory on the BSMMU campus.

Hasina said medical universities could properly monitor the activities of private medical colleges. “They could keep surveillance on whether the students receive quality education at private medical colleges.”

There are 105 medical colleges in the country now, she said.

About the super specialised hospital, the premier said an 11-storey hospital would be built under a project at a cost of around Tk 1,366 crore and 1,000 beds would be accommodated there.

Hasina said the South Korean government was providing a loan of Tk 1,047cr for the project. She expressed gratitude to the Korean government for its financial and technical support to the project.

The premier said a centre-based healthcare service system would be introduced at the hospital, with specific outdoor departments for each centre.

The Emergency Medical Care Centre would offer 24-hour emergency services and nearly 4,000 people would receive treatment there every day, she added.

Referring to a survey, the PM said Tk 300 crore would be saved annually after the launch of the hospital.

Hasina said the trend of patients going abroad for treatment would slow down after the opening of the new hospital.

Medical universities would be set up in all divisions of the country in phases to provide better medical services to the people and ensure higher education for medical students, the PM told the programme.

“We've set up two medical universities in Chittagong and Rajshahi, while an approval has been given to establish another in Sylhet.”

Besides carrying out research, the medical universities would offer post-graduate degrees, she mentioned.

The PM urged all teachers, doctors, officials, nurses and employees of the BSMMU to devote themselves to providing medical service to the people properly.

She said the Awami League after assuming power in 2009 had taken various initiatives for the health sector.

“We've formulated a pro-people health policy and are implementing it…. We've increased the number of hospital beds and improved the services of the general and specialised hospitals.”

About the development of the BSMMU, Hasina said her government has taken various initiatives to turn the university into a “centre of excellence”.

The government has allocated Tk 525 crore for overall development of the BSMMU and allocated more land for the expansion of its campus, she added.

The PM said 10 new departments were opened at the university for medical education and research and evening specialised consultation centres were launched in 25 departments.

“I hope such services will be offered in other departments soon and the people of the country will be able to get the services of expert physicians at a low cost.”

Health Minister Mohammed Nasim and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Health Ministry Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim were present at the programme as special guests, with BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Kanak Kanti Barua in the chair.

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, ministers, PM's advisers, parliament members, foreign diplomats, academics and top civil officials were present.