Health system will collapse if infection rate could not be controlled: Minister

Country's health system will collapse if Covid-19 infection rate could not be controlled, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque.

The infection rate must be reduced, said the minister while inaugurating the ICU and outdoor department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) at Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons in Mohakhali on Thursday.

He said that discussion is going on to lower the age limit for vaccination. To open school and college, 18 year old students will be brought under vaccination.

The health minister said, "Coronavirus infections and deaths have declined in North and South regions of the country. The benefits of the lockdown have started to show."

"However, people in the villages are getting infected more for lack of awareness. They don't want to come to the hospital in the beginning. At the ward level, public representatives have been advised to go from house to house to find patients," he said.

The minister further said that instructions have been given to increase isolation beds in district and upazila level. Seven thousand beds will be arranged.

Zahid Maleque said, "In the future, we will use national identity cards to register those living in the rural level who cannot register for the vaccine."

There has already been talk of buying refrigerators at various hospitals to store the vaccines, added the minister.