Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen on Wednesday asked doctors in the country to be more responsible while providing treatment to patients so that no one gets deprived of the desired medical care in hospitals.
"It is my responsibility to protect the doctors, but they (the doctors) will have to take on the responsibility of providing good services to the patients,” Dr Samanta Lal said.
“I have responsibility towards the doctors as well as the patients. I’m taking on both of these responsibilities, but every doctor must ensure that no patient is deprived of medical care in hospitals,” he added.
The minister made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a programme, jointly organised by the North America Medical Association and Dhaka Medical College (DMC) titled ‘Donation of Modern Healthcare Equipment and Hands on Training’.
The event was held at the DMC.
About increasing the number of beds at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, the health minister said a five-bed burn institute was started with the help of Bangabandhu. Now, the number of beds has increased to 500 with the help of his daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said, adding, “Everything is possible if we try.”
The Health Minister praised the intern doctors of DMC, saying they are working tirelessly round the clock to provide health services to thousands of patients.
At the end of the event, the minister handed over medical supplies, donated by the North America Medical Association, to various health centres and individuals in Bangladesh.
Later in the day, Dr Samanta Lal Sen joined a discussion meeting at the BIRDEM Hospital, organised on the occasion of World Diabetes Day.
Expressing concern over the increasing number of diabetic patients in the country, he said that there are about 13 million diabetic patients in Bangladesh now.
The number of diabetic patients may rise to 22 million by 2035, he estimated.
“Apart from this, currently 50 per cent of people in the country do not know that they have diabetes. The people living in rural areas are also suffering from diabetes, which has become a matter of concern for us," the minister said.
Prof AK Azad Khan, President of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, presided over the event, while Prof Dr Md Faruque Pathan presented the keynote paper.