Physiotherapy still understated
Physiotherapy, a useful part of modern treatment, is not getting proper recognition in the country as it deserves, said speakers yesterday.
Therefore, a proper recognition of physiotherapy is very necessary as it is ignored in many ways, they said.
The experts made the remarks at a roundtable organised by the Bangla daily Prothom Alo at its office in the capital.
The speakers also demanded that a regulatory body should be formed to ensure that real physiotherapists are providing treatment to patients, and a separate institution should be established for the physiotherapists so that they get proper education.
Ten percent people of the country are affected by different kinds of disabilities, and tens of thousands of people are affected by road accidents, and natural and manmade disasters. Physiotherapy is badly needed for these people, said Md Farid Uddin, general secretary of Bangladesh Physiotherapy Association (BPA), in his PowerPoint presentation.
Demanding appointment of physiotherapists in all government hospitals, Farid said where the country needs more and more physiotherapists, posts in the government hospitals are vacant.
Acknowledging the importance of physiotherapy, Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon said the government is going to prepare a law in this regard and it is under process.
Dalilur Rahman, president of BPA, said the necessity of physiotherapy is increasing in the society, and to fulfil the demand, it is necessary to appoint physiotherapists in all the government hospitals by creating posts.
Though there are around 3,000 graduate physiotherapists in the country, most of the posts in the government hospitals are vacant, he said.
“There are 1.50 crore elderly people in the country which will rise to 2 crore in 2020, 4 crore in 2050 and 5 crore in 2060, for which the necessity for physiotherapy is increasing day by day,” said ASM Atiqur Rahman, secretary general of Bangladesh Association for the Aged and Institute of Geriatric Medicine.
The people, who are not actually physiotherapists, are running physiotherapy centres, putting patients at a serious risk, said Mohshin Kabir, joint secretary general of BPA.
Hazera Nazrul, former joint secretary of BPA, said when her two legs were broken in 2010, she could not walk. After taking physiotherapy, she was able to walk again, she added.
Abdul Quayum, associate editor of Prothom Alo, moderated the programme.
Health Rights Movement National Committee president Rashid-e Mahbub, physiotherapist Easmin Ara Doly, senior consultant of United Hospital Iqbal Hasan Mahmud spoke, among others.
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