In the New Year, the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College & Hospital in Dhaka has set the aim to provide free medical service to patients. Systems have also been placed to ensure that patients get service within the shortest possible time.

The hospital has incorporated a dress code, said director of the establishment, Dr. Uttam Kumar Barua.

Saying that the hospital would be clean and without middlemen he added, “Top class service will be provided and the one stop service will make overall operation more efficient.”

Though a patient called Kohinoor Akhter said that no money was taken by the hospital for her surgery, she had to pay for some medicines.

More than 800,000 patients took treatment from the out-patient department in 2018 and 2017.

“We have started one stop service at the emergency section and the cash counter to ensure swift service, said the director.

“Plans are in the pipeline to provide expensive antibiotics free of cost.”

The hospital has also enforced a dress code, under which, doctors will have to wear blue aprons.

We also provide free stapling machine for anal surgery for poor patients, which costs Tk 32,000, added Dr. Uttam.

“Usually medicines are provided; but in case of one or two medicines slips are sometimes given.”