PM asks physicians to treat working people

Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina urged Sunday the specialist physicians to stand beside the country's working class people as trusted friends at times of their illness and grief, reports UNB.

She made the appeal while addressing the 12th convocation of the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.

Mentioning the contributions of the common people to the degrees of the specialist physicians, Hasina said the country and the nation have lot of expectation from the specialist doctors.

"A soft touch of the physician and a little sympathy could substantially increase the mental strength of the patients," he added.

Terming the noble jobs of the physicians as humanitarian services towards the general people, the PM expressed the hope that the physicians would dedicate themselves through their medicare services to the welfare of the distressed and poor sick people, and play effective role in bringing smile to their face.

She said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had developed the health sector suiting an independent nation alongside other sectors of the war ravaged country after the war of independence and established the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Hasina also mentioned the role of BCPS in improving the standard of healthcare system by creating post graduate and specialised physicians through post graduate examinations, training, research, workshops and seminars.

In this regard, she said about 4,173 specialised physicians had so far obtained FCPS and 2,295 others got MCPS membership from the BCPS and were serving in various medical colleges and other health institutes of the country.

The PM hoped that the BCPS would be able to maintain continuation of its success in future as well and assured all necessary cooperation and support to this end.

Highlighting various measures of her government for the development of the health sector, she said a time-befitting National Health Policy has been formulated to ensure healthcare and medicare services for the mass people.

Hasina said her government had also set up 15,600 health centres and community clinics from where about 120 million poor rural people were getting healthcare services.

Besides, the people from their homes were now getting healthcare facilities round the clock through mobile telephone, she said, adding that all these initiatives had made it possible for the government to reach healthcare services to the doorsteps of the people.

The PM called upon all including physicians and health assistants of both public and private hospitals and institutes to come forward in maintaining the trend of development and success of the government in the health sector.

State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jahid Maleque, among others, also spoke at the function. President of the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons Prof Dr SAM Golam Kibria gave the convocation address.

Earlier, the Prime Minister arrived at the dais leading the convocation procession.

She also handed over honorary Fellowships to six senior specialist physicians and Gold Medals to six Fellows of the BCPS for successfully passing the Fellowship Examination on Medicine and Surgery.

Besides, 16 specialist physicians from home and abroad were given Fellowship while 924 others given certificates.