Doctors' consultancy fees, charges for medical tests to be fixed soon
Says health adviser
Our correspondent,Chittagong
Health and Family Welfare Affairs Adviser Major General Dr ASM Matiur Rahman on Thursday said the government is going to form a committee soon to fix consultancy fees of doctors and charges for medical tests to help bring the treatment facilities within the reach of the common people.A greater number of people will have access to medical treatment, if the consultancy fees of the doctors in private practice, charges for various diagnosis at diagnostic centres, and other charges private clinics and hospitals are fixed at a reasonable rate, observed the health adviser to the caretaker government. The health adviser was speaking as the chief guest at a meeting with the doctors at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Heads of various departments and senior teachers were present at the meeting with CMCH Director Brigadier General Abedur Rahman in the chair. Adviser Dr Rahman said the doctors would be allowed to do private practice after they complete official duty properly. He urged the doctors to serve the patients with the spirit of serving ailing humanity and win the heart of the people. The health adviser sounded warning against any sort of commission some private practitioners are reportedly taking from private diagnostic centres through refering the patients requiring medical tests. He stressed making best use of the existing resources, including valuable machineries at different hospitals. Earlier, CMCH director in his speech informed the adviser about the extreme shortage of workforce, equipment and accommodation in the CMCH. He said the 1010-bed hospital is serving around two thousand patients every day with the workforce, which may be sufficient for a 500-bed hospital. CMCH director urged the adviser for steps and facilities required for upgrading the hospital into 1500-bed one. Director General of Health Department Dr Md Shahjahan Bishwas, Principal of Chittagong Medical College Professor Dr MA Wahab and Civil Surgeon Dr Abdul Jalil were present at the ceremony. Meanwhile in the morning, the health adviser launched the operation of a 31-bed hospital at Sultanpur under Raojan upazila in the district. He expressed his disappointment over the delay in starting activities of the hospital that was built around three years ago at the cost of around Tk four crore. The health adviser also inaugurated construction work of a 20-bed hospital at Fatikchhari.
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