Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain spoke at a seminar on infection prevention and control at the National Burn Institute in Dhaka. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, Aug 24, 2026 (BSS)- Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain has asked the authorities concerned to constitute a committee to look into the measures of infection prevention and control of diseases.

He gave the directive while speaking at a seminar on infection prevention and control at the National Burn Institute in the city today.

“We cannot rely solely on antibiotics to treat infections. Greater importance must be given to infection prevention,” the minister said.
 
“To prevent major diseases and infections, we have to work consistently. Besides, everybody must be made aware about this issue,” he added.

Speaking at the seminar, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant SM Ziauddin Hyder said there is no alternative to improving hospital cleanliness alongside personal hygiene to prevent infections. 

He stressed on bringing private hospitals alongside government hospitals under the proper waste management.

Director of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS) Prof. Dr Mohammad Nasir Uddin presided over the event while Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof. Dr Pravath Chandra Biswas and President of the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons Prof. Dr Moudud Hossain Alamgir spoke, among others.

Associate Professor Dr Shaheda Anwar of the Department of Microbiology at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) presented a scientific paper in the seminar.

Director of Infection Prevention at SingHealth Ling Moi Lin and Director of the International Collaboration Office (ICO) at SingHealth Vijaya Rao presented papers on infection prevention and control.

Bangladesh Infection Prevention and Control Foundation (BIPCF) President Prof. Dr Zahidul Hasan delivered the welcome address.