7 docs lose jobs for not staying in rural areas

Seven doctors were suspended from service yesterday for remaining absent from their workplaces in rural areas.  
They were not present at the health sub-centres and upazila health complexes in Shibpur and Palash upazilas of Narsingdi, where they had been posted, during a visit by the authorities on January 30, according to a press statement of the health ministry.
Bansudeb Ganguli, joint secretary of the health ministry, and Md Shahnewaj, director (admin) of the Directorate General of Health Services, lodged complaints against the doctors following the visit.
Based on the complaints, Health Minister Muhammad Nasim issued suspension orders and recommended punitive actions against the physicians.

They are Md Rajib Mahmud, Ashfaq Nabi, Md Mahmudul Kabir Bashar, Pobina Afroze Parveen, Nahida Begum, Md Sharif Ahmed and Nurunnahar.
Last week, three other doctors of Mymensingh were suspended for absenteeism.
Addressing a roundtable discussion organised and hosted by Bangla daily Prothom Alo at its office in the capital yesterday, the health minister said the government would introduce incentives for doctors posted in rural areas so that they did not absent themselves from work.
He also urged leaders of Bangladesh Medical Association and health ministry officials to "pressurize" physicians into serving in rural places.
"We cannot provide healthcare services in rural areas if doctors do not go there rendering the healthcare infrastructures utterly useless," Nasim said.
"Government officials of all departments stay at their rural workplaces. Why then will a physician be persistently absent from work?"

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