Work in remote hospitals or quit

Disappointed by some doctors' reluctance to stay in rural areas, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said they should stay at their workplace to properly serve the people or quit their jobs.  

She said, "If they leave their workplace [remote hospitals], then they should discontinue their jobs. They can earn huge money if they do private practice staying in Dhaka. They may quit their jobs. We'll then go for new recruitment.

"When we appoint new doctors, and give them postings to the upazila-level hospitals, they don't stay there. This problem arises in the case of government jobs. Whenever we give them postings, they somehow manage to return to or stay in Dhaka."

The PM said this at a programme organised for handing over keys of ambulances to 98 government hospitals, upazila health complexes and health institutions at her office.

Hasina directed the authorities concerned to maintain the standard of education in medical colleges for producing quality physicians.

"We've set up many medical colleges ... but they [the authorities concerned] need to maintain the quality of education. They've to look into the matter whether their students are going to be physicians of killing people or saving them."

Mentioning that internet service is now available across the country, the PM said it would be fruitful if medical college students could follow classes and lectures of quality colleges via internet.

She said foreign expert physicians should be allowed to the country's medical institutions for teaching purpose so that local doctors could gather experiences staying with them. "If that can be done, our patients will not need to go abroad for treatment."

Hasina asked the health ministry to create a fund for maintaining ambulances during the formulation of the ministry's annual budget so that minor repair work of those can be done timely.

She also stressed the need for introduction of river ambulance services for the country's islands and haor regions.

Noting that her government is taking the healthcare services to people's doorsteps, the PM directed all concerned to concentrate on ensuring the health services.

She said directives had already been given to the housing and public works ministry to build multi-storey buildings at the upazila level where physicians and other officials could stay after paying rents.

Hasina underscored the need for producing more gastroenterologists as the country has a few physicians in this field.

The premier focused on creating a trust fund for the community clinics so that no one can halt its activities in the future as the BNP-Jamaat government did. The BNP-Jamaat government had taken a suicidal step by closing the clinics. "If they come to power, they will shut down those again."

Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammed Nasim, State Minister Zahid Maleque, Health Services Division Secretary Serajul Huq Khan and Director General of Directorate General of Health Service also spoke on the occasion.

Hasina handed over dummy keys of seven ambulances to the authorities concerned of Bandarban Sadar Hospital, upazila health complexes of Tungipara in Gopalganj, Rajibpur in Kurigram, Phultala in Khulna, Kendua in Netrakona, Kaliakoir in Gazipur and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Dhaka.

Officials said 60 ambulances of Japan's Toyota brand procured at a cost of Tk 41 lakh each would be handed over this month, while 38 more such ambulances would be handed over next month.