Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurates Bangladesh Medical Research Council building at Mohakhali in the city yesterday.Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday reiterated her government's pledge to extend all out support for research.
“Basically, Bangladesh is far behind in research. It's not possible to reach the optimum level in any sector without research. We'll provide all sorts of cooperation for research,” she said while inaugurating the Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) building at Mohakhali in the city.
About the allocation for research works, Hasina said the researchers would just have to inform the government about their activities and the fund they need, and the government would allocate the fund.
“We don't suffer from dillydallying in releasing funds. This government is with you; we'll do whatever is needed,” she told the researchers.
Hasina also urged the private sector to come forward in funding the research activities. In this regard, she said the pharmaceutical companies could invest in the medical research sector and the ultimate result of such investment would bring more profit for them.
The prime minister also called upon the physicians to expedite basic research activities in the country's health sector to provide quality healthcare to the people.
“Now we need to improve the quality of health services along with expansion of medicare facilities across the country and that's why we need to put emphasis on research activities,” she said.
Suggesting the physicians to try to prevent diseases instead of providing treatment after the disease, Hasina underscored the need for strengthening basic research in the health sector to improve the quality of healthcare facilities alongside its extension.
She also emphasised determining the actual need of the health workers and their necessary skills, method of treatments and amount of medicine through research in a particular area to ensure maximum utilisation of limited national resources.
She requested the physicians not to be confined only to identifying diseases and innovative treatment methods but they should also try to improve the medical and health system and ensure its better use through proper restructuring of the system.
Referring to Bangladesh's successes in eliminating small pox, polio and cholera, she urged the physicians to carry out research on malaria, kala-azar, filariasis and dengue.
About the community clinics, she said her government has already resumed activities of 9,722 community clinics, out of 18,000.
She said the process is on to recruit 13,500 community health providers for those clinics. Besides, the present government appointed 3,551 on ad hoc basis to resolve the crisis of physicians while 800 other physicians will get appointment soon through the 28th BCS examinations.
Giving details, Hasina said her government has already recruited 6,391 health assistants and 1,445 nurses while the process is at the final stage to appoint 301 more nurses.
Mentioning the inadequate number of nurses, she directed the authorities concerned to appoint more nurses providing them with international standard education.
Earlier, the prime minister opened the newly constructed BMRC building by unveiling the inaugural plaque.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Prof Dr AFM Ruhal Huq and Prime Minister's adviser Prof Dr Syed Modasser Ali were the special guests at the function, chaired by BMRC Chairman Prof Dr Mahmudul Hassan.