Dhaka, Aug 11 (V7N)- The management structure of Shahbagh Super Specialized Hospital is nearing finalization, with the government planning to operate the facility under the Companies Act through a separate board of directors.
The hospital, which has remained largely inactive for nearly four years despite an investment of around Tk 1,500 crore, is now set for a fresh start. The government has also planned to begin recruitment of manpower soon.
Under the proposed system, the hospital will operate on a corporate model. Employees recruited for the facility will not be permitted to engage in private practice.
The hospital was built following the model of a hospital in Singapore and was handed over to the Bangladesh government by South Korea after construction. However, allegations of mismanagement and irregularities emerged soon after its handover, leaving the facility largely underutilized.
After the new government took office, initiatives were taken to make the hospital operational. The Bangladesh Medical University Act was amended to allow the hospital to be managed by a separate board of directors comprising people with experience in hospital management.
The board is expected to be formed as early as next week.
The government currently owns 10 percent of the hospital, while Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) owns the remaining 90 percent. Under the proposed structure, the BMU vice-chancellor will serve as chairman, while a deputy vice-chancellor will serve as managing director. A chief executive with experience in managing corporate hospitals will be recruited from outside.
The board of directors will form a recruitment committee, after which the process of appointing new manpower will begin.
The hospital will have a separate salary structure and employees will be recruited on a contractual basis. In addition to salaries, health workers may receive dividends under the proposed corporate management system.
Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain said people with appropriate management expertise would be recruited and the hospital would operate as a completely separate unit.
He said a decision would also be taken on whether the hospital would operate as a nonprofit or profit-making institution. However, any profit generated would not be distributed to individuals and would instead be reinvested in the development of the hospital.
The health minister said the facility would provide high-quality medical services to people across Bangladesh and would be developed as a world-class hospital.
He said the hospital could be inaugurated within the next two to three months, possibly within two months. It will offer specialized medical treatment, skilled doctors and modern diagnostic facilities.
According to the minister, the initiative could reduce the need for Bangladeshi patients to travel abroad for treatment and help create an alternative to overseas medical care.
The 758-bed hospital was inaugurated on September 14, 2022. It has a 100-bed intensive care unit, 14 modern operation theatres and five specialized centers, including dedicated facilities for liver, kidney and cardiac treatment.
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