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Shariatpur: The Health Department has ordered the closure of two private clinics in Bhedarganj upazila of Shariatpur over multiple irregularities, including the failure to renew their operating licences.
The two facilities are Bhedarganj Modern Diagnostic Centre and Clinic and Bhedarganj Popular Diagnostic Centre and Clinic.
The information was disclosed in a letter signed by Shariatpur Civil Surgeon Dr Md Rehan Uddin and sent to the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Sunday.
According to the letter, an unusually high number of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) cases have been reported since April from patients linked to Modern Diagnostic Centre and Clinic. Following concerns over the abnormal increase, the Civil Surgeon formed a four-member investigation committee to determine the source of the infections and recommend appropriate measures.
The committee visited the clinic on June 20 and found that 53 patients had already been diagnosed with extrapulmonary TB. However, it could not determine the source of the infections.
The committee recommended temporarily shutting down the clinic until the source of the infections is identified in order to prevent any further spread of the disease among patients.
Based on the recommendation, authorities ordered the suspension of all activities at Modern Diagnostic Centre and Clinic until further notice.
The letter also said a separate five-member team has been formed to investigate the source of the extrapulmonary TB infections.
It noted that the clinic’s licence was valid only until the 2022-23 licensing period, while its online application for renewal for 2023-24 remains under inspection. Authorities also found that the clinic had already ceased operations before the latest action.
The facility was sealed on August 1 on the verbal instructions of the Health Minister due to its failure to renew the licences required for operating both the clinic and diagnostic centre.
The letter further stated that Bhedarganj Popular Diagnostic Centre and Clinic had applied for a licence in 2022-23 as a new establishment but never obtained one.
Although the facility possessed a trade licence, tax registration and a medical waste management agreement, it lacked several mandatory regulatory clearances, including environmental and narcotics-related approvals. Applications for those clearances had been submitted but were yet to be approved.
As the clinic was operating without the required licence, it was also sealed on August 1 on the Health Minister’s verbal instructions.
However, since patients were undergoing treatment at the facility, authorities directed the clinic not to admit any new patients. It has been instructed to complete treatment for the existing patients before ceasing operations and being formally sealed on August 8.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain visited Bhedarganj on August 1. During the inspection, he ordered the closure of the two facilities after finding that they did not meet the required standards for providing healthcare services.
