Health professionals without MBBS, BDS degree can't use "Dr" before names: HC
The High Court in a full verdict has declared the government's decision of allowing homeopathy, unani and ayurvedic healthcare professionals to use "Dr" before their names "illegal".
"None other than the people qualifying for the MBBS and BDS degrees can use the prefix 'Dr' under the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council Act, 2010.
"But, unfortunately the Health Services department, under the health ministry, has allowed homeopathy, unani and ayurvedic officials of the operational plan titled 'Alternative Medical Care' to use 'Dr' before their names, which is illegal," the HC bench of Justice Md Ashraful Kamal and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil observed.
The 71-page full text of verdict was released today.
The HC also said the professionals under the alternative medical services can use the prefixes "Integrated Physician", "Complementary Physician", "Integrated Medicine Practitioner", and "Complementary Medicine Practitioner" before their names.
The HC bench had delivered a short verdict on November 19 last year following a writ petition seeking necessary directives on this issue.
National Medical Association of Bangladesh, a registered organisation of alternative medical services, had filed the petition seeking the HC directive on the government to constitute a separate regulatory body and to prepare a separate rule for rendering professional service and for using "Dr" before the names of its members.
In the full verdict, the HC bench opined for establishing a separate ministry like "Ministry of Ayush, Government of India" for running alternative medical service in Bangladesh, writ petitioner's lawyer Rashna Imam told The Daily Star.
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