They said the access to healthcare services is the fundamental rights of every human being.

The doctors of the two countries were exchanging views on their national healthcare services (NHS) at a meeting in the city.

The meeting on 'Healthcare and patient-doctor relation' was organised by Chikitsak Sangsad, a forum of physicians, at the seminar room of Microbiology department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

The UK doctors included Dr Anna Livingstone and Dr Kambiz Boomla, both senior lecturers of Queen Mary University of London, and Maggie Falshaw, practice manager of Tower Hamlets NHS.

Prof Moazzem Hossain, dean of medicine faculty of BSMMU, presided over the meeting where Prof Rashidi Mahbub, former pro-vice-chancellor of BSMMU, Sirajul Islam, professor of the Institute of Child Health and Sharfuddin Ahmed, associate professor of Ophthalmology department of BSMMU spoke.

The UK doctors briefly presented the recent changes in their NHS in Britain while the Bangladeshi doctors spoke about the existing scenario of NHS in the country.

The UK doctors said their NHS is being privatised gradually while the Bangladeshi doctors said private initiative in health sector is growing up here as people are not getting desired service from the government hospitals or healthcare services.

But the private sector treatment is only for those who can afford, they added.

"In Bangladesh the NHS should not be privatised. Instead, the NHS should be expanded in such way so that all specially the rural poor can come under its coverage," said Dr Sharfuddin.

Prof Sirajul Islam stressed the need for launching a global movement to ensure NHS for all.