No tolerance for doctors' negligence: BMA

Leaders of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) of Chittagong here in a views-exchange yesterday said the organisation would not stand by any doctor in case of intentional professional negligence.

They also demanded the government should enact a law regarding the doctors' professional safeguard and Chittagong Medical University to be established on Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) campus, said Mohammad Sharif, secretary general of Chittagong BMA, addressing the views-exchange with Zahid Malique, state minister for the ministry of health and family welfare, organised by CMCH at Shah Alam Bir Uttam auditorium of CMC.

"We have kept the government hospitals out of the purview of the strike," he said, emphasizing the need of a law regarding the safeguard of patients and doctors.

Mujibul Haque Khan, Chittagong BMA president, also the vice-principal of CMC, said, "Brilliant students would be discouraged to join the profession if there is no such law...We want a medical university on CMCH campus as there are available lands here."

The minister said formulation of a draft of a law is now at the final stage and it "would be enacted" immediately. "Professional negligence is a punishable offence and there is a law at present to try any crime of that sort," he said.

"However," he said, "Enactment of a law cannot ensure an end to this problem; doctors must be cautious to avoid any unwanted situations and must come forward to improve the doctor-patient relationship."

Regarding the medical university, he said BMA leaders' demand would be considered during the selection of a site.

Ehteshamul Haque Dulal, director (administration) of directorate general of health services, and Wahid Hossain, director general of directorate general of family planning, also spoke, among others, with Prof Selim Mohammad Jahangir, CMC principal, in the chair.