Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque has said Private practice by doctors at government hospitals will be fully launched across Bangladesh this year.
“Patients and families of the patients are subjected to various types of harassment at the hospitals sometimes. We have thought of a private chamber system to alleviate their suffering,” he said.
He made the statement after the inauguration of simulation labs and e-libraries at Manikganj Colonel Maleque Medical College Hospital at 10am on Saturday.
“The service has started in various district and upazila hospitals of the country already. We are hoping to launch it all over the country this year,” the minister added.
On Saturday, simulation labs and e-libraries were inaugurated in eight medical colleges to make medical education in Bangladesh more up-to-date, dynamic and practical.
In these labs, students of medical science can gain skills in digital dissection using an advanced digital dissection table.
The e-library will be opened for students and teachers of all medical and dental colleges in the country with the aim of making medical education more dynamic with the launch of Smart Bangladesh.
Earlier on January 22, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said that from March, doctors of government hospitals and medical colleges will be allowed to practice privately in their respective institutions.
According to the draft of the “Institutional Practice Guidelines”, patients can visit specialist doctors (professors, associate professors, and assistant professors) for Tk300 and MBBS doctors for Tk150.
A part of the doctor's fee will be deposited in the government fund for the infrastructure of the government hospitals.
According to the draft policy, doctors will initially see patients from 3pm to 6pm. However, the health ministry plans to set the time till 7pm.
