Doctors at a roundtable discussion has said that they will go to the higher court to file writ petition if the draft of Healthcare and Safety Act 2018 is not revised.
The Foundation for Doctors Safety and Rights (FDSR) arranged roundtable at CIRDAP auditorium in the capital on Tuesday.
Health Ministry had discussed the matter with FDSR before preparing the draft. According to the ministry, leaders of Swachip and Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) were present meeting in this regard. But, the issue was not discussed with grassroots physicians.
Dr Abdur Noor Tushar, advisor of the organization, presented the keynote address at the event. He said the safety of the doctors meant here that they should not be subjected to any kind of attack. There is no mention of anything else. Generally, if you are a victim of a criminal case, you will get justice. There was no need for a separate law.
Apart from Bangladesh Medical and BMDC, there are many other sections with the illogical clause that no one can reach the court except the Medical and Dental Council (BMDC).
No arrangements were made for the doctors. It seems to us that this law is designed only for private clinicians. Where patients were not even evaluated.' Registrar of BMDC Professor Dr. Liaquat said the BMDC has not come up with any standards or been placed here in the field of preparing health care and protection laws. But in this regard, BMDC was expected to make a big contribution.
Media personality Ishtiaque Reza said, the BMA and Swachip are not talking about the law. The FDSR is an organization of young physicians, the only one speaking. In fact, their voices are too weak to claim the rights of doctors. Professor of Community Medical College Hospital on the occasion Sania Tasnim said, the proposed law did not properly consider the relationship of doctors and patients.
Former President of BMA Dr. Dr. Rashid-i-Mahbub said, "Our people's tendency to go abroad has not diminished at all." The general public needs to be very aware if everything goes well. Community clinics in the country do not have doctors, there are health providers. They make illegal prescriptions. These things needed to be addressed. The foundation general secretary Sheikh Abdullah Al Mamun warned that they would go to court to challenge the bill.
Bangladesh Health Rights Movement chairman Rashid-e-Mahbub said that people with no expertise in health services drafted the law, disregarding rights of patients and health service providers.
Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council president Mohammod Shahidullah said that the law should be enacted with democratic ethos to protect patients and doctors.
