The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital will again begin to provide free treatments to the poor in June this year, which remained suspended from 2001 for unknown reasons.

The health and family welfare minister, AFM Ruhal Haque visited the BSMMU on Thursday and asked the vice-chancellor and other officials of the BSMMU to begin providing free treatments, for which there is a fund of about Tk 7 crore with the hospital accounts.

‘Utilise the fund for giving treatment to the deprived. This government will not tolerate any misuse of this fund’, said the minister.

He also said, ‘To provide health facilities to the poor, the BSMMU has to attach importance to the out-door services’.

There are allegations against the BSMMU authorities of recruiting politically influential doctors, which should be stopped during the regime of this government, said the minister, adding, ‘This is the only medical university and the doctors who have proved their merits in the study of medical science will have the chance of getting appointments at the BSMMU.’

The minister went to different departments and talked with some patients during his visit.

He asked the VC and pro-VC to place their requirements to enrich the operation theatres and improve the health facilities for ensuring the poor people’s rights to health.

The VC of BSMMU, Professor Nazrul Islam after meeting with the minister said, ‘We will launch the free treatment services in June. But for this move, we need to have some extra medical equipment and increase the number of beds. The government has agreed to meet our requirements in this regard.’