Staff Reporter :
To prevent the second wave of Covid-19 attack which already started across Europe, the government of Bangladesh has decided to take strict screening measures at all airports and land ports.
The decision was taken in a two-hour-long inter-ministerial meeting on Sunday.
Government has formed a five-member committee, headed by Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, to recommend measures within three to four days to prevent the second wave of the disease.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Expatriate Welfare Minister Imran Chowdhury jointly presided over the meeting where State Minister M Shahriar Alam and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office, Health Secretary, Home Secretary and heads or representatives of 12 agencies were present.
“We want to prevent further deterioration of the Covid situation in the country” State Minister M Shahriar Alam told reporters after the meeting.
The second wave of attack has been started in UK, Germany, France and other European countries where number of Bangladeshi expatriates are living.
About 1,500 passengers are entering from these countries to Bangladesh every day which creating huge risk, the state minister said.
Replying to a query, Shahriar Alam said that imposing ban on incoming flights will depend on the situation. He said the committee will recommend about the matter observing the situation.
To ensure stricter screening, the state minister said, number of inspection staff at the airports and land ports will be increased soon.
In a view of improvement of the Covid situation, the screening was relaxed recently, but as the second wave has been started in Europe, the stricter screening of the passengers to be ensured in all airports and land ports, he said.
The meeting also decided that the quarantine facilities will be strengthened further and if any inbound passenger has symptoms she/he must be quarantined until the person tests negative.
On the other hand, Health and family welfare minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday said that government rending its utmost services for the covid-19 patients.
“Government spent Tk 15,500 for every normal covid-19 patient and Tk 47,000 for critical covid-19 patients treated in ICU,” Zahid Maleque said during a meeting in his ministry in the secretariat.
He said that the government is taking a nominal charge only for testing coronavirus infections and giving medical treatment free in cost in the public hospitals which proof as very useful for the common people in the country.
The minister said that the ‘other people’ are only criticized, but the health sector has provided its services properly ignoring huge criticisms.
The health minister said that the government is taking adequate preparations to tackle the probable second wave of the coronavirus attack in the country.
He said that after getting covid-19 vaccines, the government will first give those to the frontlines fighters like physicians and nurses.
He said that the covid dedicated hospitals will continue its present activities, the training programmes for doctors and nurses will be continued.
The minister said that there are adequate numbers of PPEs are in stock.
Committees in upazila and district level are asked for strengthening their awareness campaignings.
“We have asked other ministries and departments to be aware and to take awareness programme to prevent the second wave of the fatal virus. In the meantime we asked all to wear mask first to get services from offices,” the minister said.
Health Secretary MD Abdul Mannan and Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) DG Professor Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, among others, were present.
