The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued special emergency directives at the field level to tackle the country’s flood situation and ensure emergency healthcare services in the affected areas.
The directives were sent on Saturday to all divisional health directors, civil surgeons and upazila health officials across the country through a letter signed by Abu Hossain Md Moinul Ahsan, director of the DGHS Hospital and Clinic Branch.
The decisions were taken at a virtual meeting held on Friday with DGHS Director General Prof Dr Pravath Chandra Biswas.
The meeting adopted seven special decisions, including cancellation of leave for officials and employees if necessary, to ensure uninterrupted medical services in flood-affected areas.
According to the decisions, focal persons must be appointed at all flood-affected upazila, district and divisional levels.
They will maintain round-the-clock coordination with the control room and the Directorate General of Health Services and their mobile phone numbers must be shared with the relevant organisations and individuals.
The directives also instructed the formation of the required number of medical teams in all affected upazilas and districts to ensure emergency healthcare services for flood-hit people.
At the same time, officials have been asked to regularly inform the media about flood response activities through press conferences or press releases.
To this end, an emergency press conference has been scheduled for 12 July to highlight healthcare services being provided to flood-affected people.
