Doctor’s private practice during office time to be dealt strictly: Minister

Bangla Press Desk : Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain has warned that undisciplined doctors might face strict disciplinary action for any negligence to duties and private practice in during office hour.

The minister made the remarks on Thursday while speaking at a press conference on contemporary issues at the conference room of the ministry at Bangladesh Secretariat.The minister said the Prime Minister has given a clear instruction urging the doctors to refrain from private practice during their office hours.

“If any allegation of such misconduct is proven, the government will take strict action against the concerned doctors,” he said.

To curb such irregularities, the minister said that intelligence surveillance and monitoring have been strengthened across the country.

“Negligence in duty in government hospitals will not be tolerated in any circumstances,” he added.

Sakhawat also announced that the government plans to recruit around 100,000 additional healthcare workers, including midwives, pharmacists and technologists, in order to improve the quality of healthcare services.

Referring to a recent disciplinary action, the minister said that the medical license of government doctor Dr Rajesh Majumdar has been suspended for six months after it was found that he was absent from his government office during working hours and was seeing patients at a private hospital.

A show-cause notice has also been served on him. The private hospital where he was treating patients has also been served a show-cause notice.

He added that the matter came to light after it was reported in the media, following which the Prime Minister instructed the authorities to take necessary action immediately.

“Administrative measures were taken accordingly,” he continued.

He said any government doctor to be found neglecting official responsibilities and practicing privately during duty time would face the same consequences.

He said surveillance has been strengthened at multiple level but denied to disclose the details.

The minister acknowledged that many government hospitals still face shortages of doctors, nurses and technicians compared to the growing number of patients.

He said the government is working gradually to overcome this crisis through ongoing recruitment and expansion of manpower.

Source: daily Sun

BP/SP