DHAKA, Sept 15, 2021 (BSS) - The Bangladesh Children's Hospital

and Institute Bill-2021 was passed in the parliament aiming to improve
healthcare services for children along with expanding research and higher
education facilities to this end.

  Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque moved the bill to the
House which was unanimously passed by voice votes with Speaker Dr Shirin
Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

  While placing the bill, the minister said the draft law has been prepared
to merge Dhaka Shishu Hospital and Bangladesh Institute of Child Health while
the bill was designed in line with the Dhaka Children Hospital Ordinance-
2008.

 
   At present, the Bangladesh Institute of Child Health is the academic wing
of Dhaka Shishu Hospital.

  The Dhaka Shishu Hospital Ordinance-2008 was promulgated during the
caretaker government in 2008.

  Some 54 ordinances, out of 122, adopted during the caretaker government
were approved in parliament following the recommendations of the special
committee of the ninth parliament. But, others were not endorsed at that
time.

  Dhaka Shishu Hospital, established in 1977, became an autonomous institute
under an ordinance announced in 2008 by the then interim government.

  The Bangladesh Institute of Child Health was established in 1983 as an
academic wing of the hospital.

  So, there is no complete law or ordinance over the regulation and
supervision of the hospital's activities.

  As per Article 21 of the draft law, there will be a 12-member board of
directors to run the hospital as an autonomous body.

  A director of the hospital would be the executive officer of the hospital
while each director would be appointed for three years.

  At least 30 seats would be reserved for child patients of poor families,
the health minister mentioned, referring to a provision of the bill.