Shortage of physicians
Recently, a Bengali daily, citing a study conducted by Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), reported that in near future candidates with MBBS and BDS degrees would find it difficult to get the job they want. In 2016, there were more than 11,000 qualified physicians who could not be accommodated in the job market. In the coming years, more and more physicians would be left unemployed, according to the report. However, I have doubts about the research findings.
Doctors are not available in many populated areas of Dhaka. The government still struggles to make doctors stay in rural areas. There is an acute shortage of qualified doctors in the public hospitals. In that respect, I commend the health ministry for announcing that it would build a public medical college in each district so that the nation does not suffer from any crisis of qualified physicians.
Md Ashraf Hossain
Dhaka
