Reza Mahmud :
Compensations for doctors’ death from Covid infection are being disbursed in government hospitals only which has ignited angers among private hospitals physicians pushing the health sector in an uncertain situation during pandemic.
About 186 physicians died from Covid-19 and symptom of the disease across the country during the pandemic.
Besides, 9,394 doctors, nurses and other health workers were infected coronavirus so far, sources said.
Meanwhile, families of 19 doctors only got the compensation or honorarium so far.
The health ministry said the government doctors’ who died on duty from Covid-19 will get the compensation amounting to Tk 50 lakh every person.
Besides, health workers have to get basic of two months salaries will be got from the government fund. Those also are distributing only for government hospitals’ workers.
Meanwhile, leaders of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) said the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the compensation or honorarium in case of every doctor and health worker death from Covid-19 during their duty time infections.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Health and Family Welfare also recommended Tk 50 lakh for every death irrespective of posting.
The matter created a tag of war between doctors and the health ministry.
Doctors’ leaders said, if the health ministry gives the honorarium to the public facilities physicians, the private hospital doctors and general practitioners would be deprived.
They said about 65 percent of the people of the country get medical treatment from private hospitals.
The government hospitals are rending only 35 percent medical services.
They said such discriminations would push the health sector to uncertainty in any further emergency situation.
When contacted, Dr. Md. Ehteshamul Huq Choudhury, Secretary General of BMA told The New Nation on Saturday, “The Prime Minister clearly announced the honorarium for all doctors. But the health ministry made the new formula. It is totally unacceptable.”
He said, “Even MP Sheikh Selim, the honorable President of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on health ministry recommended that the honorarium have to distribute for every doctors family as per the PM’s announcement.”
When contacted, Professor Dr Abul Bashar Muhammad Khurshid Alam, DG of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) told The New Nation on Saturday,
“We have disbursed the honorarium to the government hospitals’ doctors only who died of covid-19 as per the directions of the ministry.”
He, however said, “The Parliamentary Standing Committee recently issued a recommendation to pay the compensation to all hospitals doctors. The health minister will take decision soon on the matter.
BMA on Saturday said that 25 of the 186 deceased doctors were working for government facilities while 71 of them were working in private hospitals and clinics or in general practices.
It also mentioned that 82 of those died physicians were retired public servants and eight were in different organizations including one in Army Medical Corps.
Dr. Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin and Dr. Md. Ehteshamul Huq Choudhury President and Secretary General respectively of BMA on Saturday said it in a press release.
Assistant Professor Dr. Moyeen Uddin Ahmed of Sylhet MAG Osmany Medical College died on April15, 2020 as a first covid-19 infected physician in the country.
Apart from these, BMA informed that 3,108 physicians have been infected from covid-19 among the 9,394 health workers.
About 2,271nurses and 4015 other health workers were included in the infected lists.
