Health Directorate apologises for ‘wrong information’ in COVID-19 briefing

The Directorate General of Health Services has apologised for presenting “wrong information” during the daily briefing on COVID-19 outbreak on Thursday.

Habibur Rahman, the director of management information system at the directorate, said in the online briefing in the afternoon: “We’ve received instructions from the prime minister [Sheikh Hasina].

“The director general has informed the directors in all divisions of the country that at least two specimens must be sent from every Upazila. At least 1,000 specimens will be tested tomorrow [Friday],” he said.

Habibur was responding to criticisms that the authorities were not conducting enough tests on suspected patients.

Later in the night, Additional Director General Nasima Sultana said in a statement that Habibur’s comment on Hasina ordering at least two specimens from each Upazila was wrong.

“In fact, representatives of different doctors’ groups and health authorities in a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office on Apr 1 advised collection of specimens for COVID-19 tests from different parts of the country,” she said.

They were of the opinion that it will enhance the authorities’ capability to understand the outbreak more, according to the statement.

“So, it was agreed that the rates of specimen collection and testing will be increased,” it said.

“The Health Directorate sincerely regrets that the matter was not presented correctly,” it added.