Dr. Syed Nesar Ahmad Rumy :
The current health structure prevailing in Bangladesh seems alright. Since last fifty years we have established public medical centers and hospitals in the Unions, Upazilas. In the districts we have big general public hospitals and many doctors, consultants with high professional degrees and experience are working there. Government programs to establish public medical colleges in all the districts are going on full swing. Apart from this public sector private initiatives are seen to establish private medical colleges in the districts also. Many of those are now functioning. Since last 30 years some big and modern hospitals are also established in Dhaka and other big cities in Bangladesh and few hospitals are started functioning in rural areas too. The private clinics, pathologies, mid-capacity hospitals are now seen everywhere in Bangladesh. One can notice this picture if s/he pass through any place of Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and other cities, towns etc.
Since last two years physicians and medical professionals are passing very tough time. In this state there are many issues raised in different times which have made this sector toddled. Sometimes this sector lacks confidence of the general people and sometimes it gets appreciations too. But for the hassles, discomfort and high cost of treatment have made general people squeezed. Especially the middle class, lower middle class are awfully sufferers. Those who have the capacity to spend much money are going to India, Thailand and Singapore for their treatment. This situation indicates that a good number of people do not have confidence on our health sector and treatments. But there are some remarkable achievements occurred since last thirty years and these are EPI and Ore-saline program. In these two programs Bangladesh attracted the attention of the world. By and large these two programs are very much successful programs in Bangladesh.
It seems Bangladesh is going to take appropriate measure to fight against the new variant. The statement of the health minister and the technical committee on national level said so. So this is the appropriate time to make/prepare ourselves vigilant about this omicron. By this time (last two years) we have gained some important experiences to fight against the Covid-19. And the people of our country are now already habituated with the life style in a Covid-19 situation but with some deviations. In streets and social functions/gatherings we see many of us are not following the Covid-19 protocol directed by WHO and the government. Things have been made so casual that many of us look like very much indifferent to the latest situation of Covid-19 and the new variant omicron.
Even in the Upazila level one can find many clinics, pathologies with big signboards/ billboards. We have medical universities and many other specialized institutions for treatments. We also know that many students are also studying pharmacy in different public and private universities and they are contributing much for the producing different kind of medicines in many pharmaceutical industries. It is reported that we are almost self sufficient in producing medicines and already Bangladesh is branded as medicine producing and exporting country. Some says and assumes that after garments the future of export lies in the medicine sector and it is not untrue. There are much potentialities of exporting medicines from Bangladesh.
But one question always raises everyone’s mind and the question is whether the general people of our country are getting appropriate services in health issues. Many a time the answer is big ‘No’. Actually there is somewhat of disparity prevails in everywhere. Health sector is not out of this chain. Common people are mistreated and not getting proper medical support many times in the public hospitals. They have not that much capacity to take treatment in the high-cost private clinics and hospitals. Indeed, right to health could be a fundamental right to the people. The upper class people of our society cannot understand the pains and hassles of general people who come to the public hospitals in Dhaka and other cities.
The people who have enough money or spare money can take their treatment in the high-cost private hospitals/clinic with high standard and clean environment. It is a long way for the general people of the society to go abroad for better treatment. Now it has become a trend that middle class people have to go to neighboring country spending all their savings in the country. It shows that there is much lack of confidence upon the doctors and medical services in our country. We have qualified doctors, health/medical service infrastructures, pharmacists and pharmaceutical industries but the reality is that the good quality treatment and diagnosing the diseases are a long way to the general people. So to get rid of this situation the high-ups of the health service need visionary outlook in their mind-set for the better treatment. Otherwise, our people might suffer to get appropriate medical treatment with optimum cost of money for indefinite period.
(Dr. Rumy is a former Civil Servant and Freelancer).
