Most Covid-19 Patients Not Vaccinated: DG of DGHS

About 90 per cent of Covid-19 patients in the country are from rural areas and most of them have not been vaccinated, said Dr ABM Khurshid Alam, director-general of Directorate General of Health Services.

He made the remark while addressing the annual conference of the Public Health Association of Bangladesh as the chief guest on Friday morning, reports media. 

Khurshid Alam said, “Most of the Covid related deaths in the village are due to non-vaccination. Another reason behind the high mortality rate in the rural area is late hospitalization of the infected people.”

He also claimed that the increase in crowds at district hospitals, medical college hospitals and central hospitals was due to the reluctance of the rural people to seek treatment at local hospitals.

Noting that we have limitations - manpower shortage and so on in public health, the director general said the challenges are much greater, especially at the marginal level. However, we are overcoming them gradually.

Central oxygen plant has been provided to the upazila level hospitals to deal with Covid-19, he added.

Khurshid Alam made a hope that the health workers have been by the side of the patients before and will be in the future as well.

Speaking as a special guest at the conference, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Sharfuddin Ahmed said that the Prime Minister has told the Parliament that 24 crore vaccine doses have been arranged.

If we can vaccinate everyone, I hope we will be able to deal with Covid soon, he added.