Anarchy prevails in health sector
They said the government has proved its inefficiency and irresponsibility in the management and development of the health sector.
The roundtable on 'Coalition government's anarchism in health sector' was organised by Awami League (AL) sub-committee on health and population affairs at the National Press Club in the city.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil, former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Prof AK Azad Chowdhury, Vice-president of Bangladesh Bar Council Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud, President of Bangladesh Swadhinata Chikitsak Parisad Prof AFM Ruhul Haque and Secretary General Prof Iqbal Arsalan and former president of Bangladesh Medical Association Prof Dr Rashid-e-Mahboob attended and spoke at the roundtable.
Abdul Jalil said the government has established anarchism in the health sector through appointing politically affiliated persons at every hospital and medical college including country's lone medical university Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
He said to eliminate disarray, irregularity, corruption and politicisation in the health sector and to improve the quality of healthcare service in the country, a pro-people government is a must.
"A pro-people government is possible only through a free and fair election and for that we proposed reforms in electoral process," Jalil added.
He urged people to join the 14-party opposition alliance to boost its reform movement and said no election will be held without reforms.
In a written statement, AL Health Secretary Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin said the AL government had taken up plans for bringing back discipline and development in the health sector through a health policy, but the coalition government cancelled the policy and took initiatives to formulate a fresh one which is yet to come to light.
After the establishment of BSMMU during the AL period, quality of postgraduate medical education was much improved, but the present government has undermined the image of the university in a planned way.
The university has now become a dumping station where the government had appointed doctors and officials whimsically, he added.