Published: 12:58 AM, 14 July 2026
Leave cancelled for health workers in flood-hit districts
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain on Monday said the government has cancelled the leave of health workers in flood-hit districts and taken the highest level of preparedness to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services for affected people.
"The leave of health workers in the flood-affected areas has been cancelled so that they remain on duty in the field. Adequate stocks of medicines, oral saline, anti-snake venom, as well as doctors and healthcare personnel, have been kept ready to ensure that no patient is deprived of treatment," he said.
The minister was addressing a press conference on healthcare services in flood-affected areas held at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
He said continuous heavy rainfall and flash floods triggered by upstream hill runoff have inundated several districts, prompting the government to strengthen healthcare services in the affected areas.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) is closely monitoring the situation and has already issued directives to field-level authorities, he said, adding that medical teams have been deployed while sufficient stocks of medicines, oral saline, water purification tablets and anti-snake venom have been ensured.
"If necessary, additional medical teams will be dispatched from the central level," he added.
The minister said special healthcare services are now being provided in 11 flood-affected districts-Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Cumilla and Brahmanbaria.
A senior physician has been assigned to oversee the overall health situation in each district, while the ministry's control room has been operating round-the-clock to collect information and coordinate response efforts, he said.
Sakhawat Hossain said the government is maintaining constant coordination with deputy commissioners, civil surgeons, hospital authorities and local administrations, with special emphasis on ensuring healthcare services for pregnant women, children and people living in remote areas.
Highlighting the increased risk of snakebites during floods, he said adequate anti-snake venom has already been supplied to the affected districts.
He urged people to take snakebite victims directly to hospitals instead of seeking treatment from traditional healers, adding that civil surgeons have been instructed to ensure prompt transportation of snakebite patients from remote areas to healthcare facilities.
