‘Decision on appointment of health DG after talking to PM’

Health Minister Zahid Maleque said, ‘The new appointment to the post of Director General (DG) of the Directorate General of Health Service (DGHS) will be decided after talking to Prime Minister if necessary.’

The Minister told this to the reporters in reply to a query at the Secretariat on Wednesday. Health Service Division Secretary M A Mannan was present at the moment.

Health Minister said, ‘The post of DG health is under grade-1. The appointment to the post is decided not from the ministry, but from the upper echelon of the government. So it would not be right to talk about it now.’

He said, ‘If a decision is taken at the highest level of the government regarding the appointment of a new Director General, the Ministry of Public Administration will publish it issuing a notification. Then, it will come to the Ministry of Health as attached.’

When asked about removal of a director of DGHS, he said, ‘Everything will be done as per the decision given by Prime Minister. A task force comprising of various ministries will be formed to make the health department work better.’

Mentionable, Professor Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Director General (DG) of DGHS submitted his resignation letter to the Ministry of Public Administration on Tuesday, citing health issues.

Dhaka/Asad/AKA