DHAKA, March 19, 2023 (BSS) - Health Minister Zahid Maleque today said the 
government is taking initiative to set up hospital for exclusively mother and 
child in every district of the country very soon. 

"We are mulling setting up mother and child hospital in each district aiming 
to provide healthcare support for pregnant mothers," he told a discussion 
here marking the 103rd birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu 
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. 

The discussion was held at the National Institute of Preventive and Social 
Medicine, an official release said. 

Line Director of National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine Abdul 
Mannan and Director of the Institute of Public Health (IPH) Dr Nasir Uddin, 
among others, addressed the discussion with Director General of the 
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Professor Abul Bashar Mohammad 
Khurshid Alam in the chair. 

Maleque said the present government under the leadership of Prime Minister 
Sheikh Hasina has made a remarkable progress in the health sector during the 
past 14 years. 

"Community clinic is a milestone initiative of the present government... The 
government, so far, has set up 14,000 community clinics, which are now 
providing 32 types of healthcare services and medicines to the people in 
rural areas," he added. 

District and upazila level hospitals have been equipped with modern 
healthcare facilities to ensure better healthcare services to the rural 
people, the minister continued. 

"Alongside ensuring better healthcare services, we have set up five medical 
universities, 37 medical colleges and 22 health institutes in the country for 
furthering improving overall healthcare system," he said.