Govt approves proposal for setting up 200-bed Covid field hospital

The government on Tuesday approved a proposal for setting up a 200-bed Covid field hospital at the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Convention Centre.

The approval came from the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs held Tuesday virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the finance minister said the government has already taken a decision to establish a 1000-bed Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Convention Centre at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

In continuation of this, the cabinet committee meeting gave approval to the proposal for following the direct procurement method for implementing the public works for setting up the Covid field hospital in the first phase at the earliest possible time following the Public Purchase Regulation-2008.

The construction of the field hospital will cost around Tk10.22 crore, Kamal said, adding that the proposed hospital will significantly help in rendering health services if the Covid-19 infection rate increases again. 

Replying to a question, he said the government hopes that there will be no requirement for such a field hospital in the future. "But the government is very much committed in this regard and it also hopes that the pandemic will come to an end."

Prior to the meeting, the 31st meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase was held with the finance minister in the chair. 

The meeting approved a proposal for printing, binding and supplying of more than 1.88 textbooks of both Bangla and English (class 1, class 2) in 72 lots from some 25 lowest responsive bidders with over Tk33.95 crore.

The finance minister said the government hopes to continue free distribution of textbooks to students in the next year too.