Busy in politics, not at hospitals

Doctors in government service remain busy with politics most of the time ignoring their patients, a parliamentary body said yesterday.
The parliamentary standing committee on public assurance in a meeting asked the top officials of the health ministry and the director general of Directorate of Health Services to look into the matter and take stern action against the negligent doctors.
“It is unfortunate that the government doctors spend most of their time in politics,” Prof Ali Ashraf, chief of the committee, told the meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
Some physicians are involved with the pro-BNP Doctors Association of Bangladesh, while some others are with the pro-Awami League Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad, he added.
Expressing resentment over the government doctors' lack of commitment to patient services, the lawmaker said even some physicians are running separate chambers inside their offices, where they prescribe patients in exchange of fees.
The committee also formed a three-member sub-committee headed by Prof Ali Ashraf to visit different Community Health Clinics to gain a first-hand experience of their service quality.