3,200 doctors to join field services in 10 days

Over 3,200 doctors are set to join field-level services within the next 10 days, providing a major boost to healthcare, particularly in rural areas.

For the first time, upazila health complexes will have emergency medical officers to provide emergency services.

Recruited under the 48th special BCS, a total of 3,263 health cadres -- 2,984 assistant surgeons and 279 assistant dental surgeons -- will formally submit their joining letters today.

“The joining of such a large number of doctors at the upazila level and below will have a positive impact on rural health services,” Prof Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser for the health ministry, told The Daily Star yesterday.

The development comes at a time when around 10,000 doctor posts remain vacant at the field level. There have been widespread complaints that many doctors are not providing services at upazila-level facilities and below, leaving patients deprived of care.

The authorities completed the recruitment process within eight months. The circular for the 48th special BCS was published on May 25 last year, and the final gazette was issued on January 22 this year.

“This is unprecedented in the country,” Sayedur said.

The health ministry has asked all selected doctors to submit their joining letters today and has arranged a programme at the Shaheed Abu Sayed International Convention Centre in Shahbagh, Dhaka, for this purpose.

“We will then begin the posting process and hope to complete it before the general elections,” said Sanjida Sharmin, joint secretary of the health ministry.

Sayedur said around 3,500 nurses were appointed, mostly at the upazila level, late last year, and their postings were processed, for the first time, through a fully automated system.

The selected doctors will also be posted using the automated method. Each upazila health complex will receive four to five doctors, including two emergency medical officers, while some doctors will be posted at the union level.

According to 2023 health ministry data, 6,587 (18 percent) of the 36,760 doctor posts under the Directorate General of Health Services remained vacant.

The data also show that of the 1,636 doctor posts under the Directorate General of Family Planning, 686 (42 percent) were vacant.