Staff Reporter :
National Doctors Forum has urged the government to form commission to wipe out corruption from the health care sector and to make it capable to execute budget allocation with efficiency.
The doctors’ organization proposed it on Sunday when they were discussing the proposed budget of FY 2021-22.
Public health experts also urged for more allocation to render proper health services to the people for building a healthy nation.
Professor Dr. M. Muzaherul Haque, former Adviser of the World Health Organisation was the Chief Guest, while NDF President Professor Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam Presided over the discussion.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, Vice-President of the Australian Academy of Business Leadership was the main speaker in the discussion.
NDF General Secretary Dr. AKM Wali Ullah moderated the programme. Prominent liver specialist Professor Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam, Professor of Biochemistry Dr. Abu Kholdun Al Mahmood also spoke. “Among the South Asian countries, Bangladesh health sector gets lowest allocations. While the World Health Organisation’s benchmark is to allot five percent of GDP to this sector, Bangladesh’s allocation is less than 1 pc,” Professor Dr. M. Muzaherul Haque said in the discussion.
He suggested the government to form two separate commissions one is for health care sector and another is for medical educations to ensure good governances there.
“It is a stigma for the nation that our medical students failed tests abroad while others can pass there. To ensure quality medical education in all institutes a separate commission should be formed,” the Professor said.
To curb the covid pandemic, the professor suggested to arrange quick test and treatment in primary stages.
He stressed on to strengthening district and upazila level hospitals with Rapid Antigen testing, Oxygen and other equipment facilities so that the patients can be detected and treated in primary stages so that the disease can be contained first.
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, our health sector has shortages of capacity to implement budget allocations though the amount is less than the necessity.
“As a result, about Tk 1.5 thousand crore is to return to the government in a fiscal year. With such amount about 10 first class health facilities can be built,” he said.
He said like other ministries, the healthcare sector also usually fails to use allotted money in first nine months. In last three months they spend a large portion of money in a hurry most of which goes in vain.
He suggested the government to form a health commission to wipeout corruption from the sector and make it capable to implement money adequately.
He also asked to cancel taxation and imposing vat on medical education. Professor Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam said, there is nothing about medical treatment cost of the poor people in the budget. He asked for protecting poor peoples’ low cost medical treatment.
Dr. Abu Kholdun Al Mahmood asked to erase medical treatment discriminations between poor and rich people.
He suggested to form a National Medical Advisory board to curb foreign bound treatment trends.
