Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam. File photo

A parliamentary watchdog yesterday expressed extreme disappointment over the absence of DGHS Director General ABM Khurshid Alam in its meeting.

The Jatiya Sangsad standing committee on the health ministry asked the officials concerned of the related ministry to take actions against Khurshid for not showing up to the meeting despite repeated requests, meeting sources said.

The meeting was scheduled to discuss purchase of health safety gears and Covid testing kits, steps taken to address the Covid vaccine crisis, whether vaccines were being brought to the country under government-to-government arrangements or through agents, and the availability of ICU beds and supply of oxygen at hospitals dedicated to Covid patients.

Speaking to The Daily Star on condition of anonymity, a committee member said the DG of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) was requested through his personal secretary at least three times to attend the meeting.

"The DG did not give importance to taking part in the meeting. There were a lot of issues on purchases by the DGHS which were scheduled to be discussed in today's [yesterday's] meeting. But the committee couldn't discuss all those issues properly due to the absence of the DG," the lawmaker said.

Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, chief of the parliamentary watchdog, asked the health ministry to take action against Khurshid.

"If no action is taken in this regard, the issue may be raised in parliament," the Awami League lawmaker told the meeting.

A member of the committee told this newspaper that the DGHS chief gave three different explanations to as many persons related to the Jatiya Sangsad committee for his absence in the meeting.

According to meeting sources, the JS standing committee expressed dissatisfaction as the ministry didn't involve its members and important personalities of the society, including imams, priests, and star players, in creating social awareness among the people about the pandemic.

The committee asked the authorities concerned to deal with the Delta variant of novel coronavirus more efficiently.

The meeting expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that the "Prime Minister's Incentive" for doctors, nurses and health workers, who died of Covid, remaining undisbursed.

It recommended taking necessary measures so that the family members of the deceased get the incentives as soon as possible under a simplified process.

Committee member Abdul Aziz said, "Family members of many deceased doctors and health workers have complained to us that they did not receive incentives. We have asked the ministry to take measures so that the respective family members of the deceased get the incentives quickly."

Contacted, DGHS DG Khurshid told The Daily Star that he couldn't join the meeting as he was on a leave. "But I sent an official to the meeting to represent me there."

Meanwhile, a Parliament Secretariat press release yesterday said the meeting recommended taking immediate steps to start the process of producing Covid vaccines locally to bring all the people of the country under vaccination coverage.

The JS committee also said only the health ministry should provide information and analysis regarding information related to the it to avoid any confusion.

Committee members Health Minister Zahid Maleque, AFM Rahaul Haque, Abdul Aziz, Syeda Zakia Noor, Rahgir Almahe Ershad and Amirul Alam Milon, among others, took part in the meeting.