Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has warned that they would suspend operation of the private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres if their licences are not renewed by August 23 this year.

It gave the warning through an office order issued on Saturday.

There are 15,000 private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres across the country, but two-thirds of them don't have licence.

The licence and renewal fees of private hospitals and clinics increased to a minimum of Tk 50,000 to Tk 0.25 million from Tk 5,000 on 04 September 2018. At that time, only 5,000 hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres obtained licence.

DGHS sources said the private hospitals and clinics need environmental certificates, detailed information on employees, NOCs from city corporations and other documents for renewal of licences every year.

DGHS publishes notice in the newspapers alongwith serving notice to the hospitals and clinics in this regard. But those hospitals, and clinics do not come for renewal of licences as they cannot submit necessary documents.

DG health should, therefore, declare those institutions illegal. But there is allegation that those illegal private hospitals and clinics operate under the nose of the regulator as DG health fails to play its due role.

Besides, there is a shortage of manpower to monitor those. There are only three staffers to inspect 5,000 hospitals and clinics in Dhaka.