Doctors in Rural Hospitals
'Lack of specialists marring successes'
Despite continuing success in healthcare, a lack of specialist doctors, particularly in districts and rural hospitals, stands out as a paradox in the present government's performance list, a seminar was told yesterday.
“We are not being able to provide district hospitals with specialist doctors simply because there are not any,” said chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on health ministry, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim.
The country immediately needs 8,000 specialist doctors and initiatives should be taken to fill the positions through BCS exams or “special crash courses”, said the former health minister.
The Awami League organised the seminar, “Three years of grand alliance government successes and achievements in healthcare”, at Kobi Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the city's National Museum.
The ruling party, at the seminar, presented a long list of successes it attained over the past three years.
These include a decrease in child mortality, improvements in maternal and child healthcare, human resources and hospitals, creation of new posts for medical professionals and formulation of the national health policy.
There has also been an increase in the number of community clinics, family planning and medical research initiatives, use of technology in healthcare and facilities for people with disability, autism and leprosy.
The country achieved “enviable” success in the field of healthcare over the last three years, said Health and Population Affairs Secretary of Awami League Bodiuzzaman Bhuiyan Dablu.
Bodiuzzaman specifically pointed out that child mortality had decreased to 29 (per 1,000) from 65 in the last government's term, maternal leave was extended to six months from four and 4,133 new doctors were appointed.
Moreover, initiatives were taken to launch 18,000 community clinics; 21 new nursing institutes were set up, more emphasis was put on medical research and significant developments were made in controlling communicable and non-communicable diseases, he added.
However, the refusal of doctors to practise in rural areas remains a major problem, said the speakers.
The issue was addressed in the proposed national health policy, which outlines special incentives for doctors practising in rural areas and avoiding private practice, they added.
Another problem is that many Bangladeshis seek treatment abroad, meaning some Tk 15,000 crore flows out of the country every year, said Selim.
This practice is growing with incompetent diagnostic centres mushrooming across the country and providing misleading diagnoses, he said. “Now you see diagnostic centres even on top of grocery stores. There is no law for them. They do not even need permission from anyone.”
The government needs to make a law to stop and take action against these diagnostic centres, he added.
Health and Family Welfare Minister AFM Ruhal Haque said when it comes to healthcare the government has a simple vision -- to transform the nation into a happy, healthy and economically viable one by 2021.
To turn that vision into reality, the government has outlined 32 operational plans for each organisation under the health ministry and the ministry itself.
Awami League Publication Affairs Secretary Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin moderated the programme with Advisory Council member Prof Dr Mohammad Abdul Mannan in the chair.
Health and Social Welfare Adviser to the prime minister Syed Modasser Ali, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Vice-Chancellor Dr Pran Gopal Datta and Bangladesh Medical Association President Dr Mahmud Hasan also spoke at the programme.
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