Malpractice on in name of physiotherapy treatment

Speakers tell seminar

10 April 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

Malpractice has been going on in the name of providing physiotherapy treatment to the patients as the country lacks trained physiotherapists, speakers said at a seminar yesterday. Bangladesh Physiotherapy Society (BPS) organised the seminar titled 'Physiotherapy in health service and Bangladesh perspective' at the National Press Club. The speakers said the scientific treatment procedure is being neglected very much in the country. More than 25 posts of physiotherapists at six government and private medical colleges and hospitals are lying vacant since 1990 and no step has been taken yet in this regard, said BPS Vice President Dr Dalilur Rahman. The speakers said there is no a single trained physiotherapist even at the National Institute of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Rehabilitation (NITOR). But physiotherapy is a part and parcel of orthopedics treatment and more than 12 posts have been lying vacant at the NITOR for a long time, they said. They said the health minister laid foundation stone of a Physiotherapy College at Mahakhali in the city on July last year. But that is all and no further steps have been taken for establishing the college. Meanwhile, a section of people have started providing physiotherapy treatment after procuring some machines like short wave machine which is harmful to the patients. " If the cancer and tuberculosis patients are treated with the machine for reducing their pain, it further aggravates their disease" Dr Dalil said, adding "There are cases of burning patients' body for using the machine". The speakers said the number of aged and obese people, cardiac patients and people suffering from different types of pain have been increasing day by day and they need quality physiotherapy. So the government should take the issue seriously. Governor of Rotary Bangladesh A K M Shamsul Huda was present as the chief guest at the seminar with BPS Founder President Prof M N Alam in the chair. Former minister Habibullah Khan, former executive director of Nazrul Institute Dr Maniruzzaman, head of the department of Diabetes and Endocrinology of DMCH Dr Abdul Mannan, BPS General Secretary Dr Mohammad Fariduddin, Vice President Dr Mohammad Shafiullah, Organising Secretary Dr Prodeep Kumar Saha, executive director of Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Dr Kamruzzaman and Khonoranjan Roy spoke at the seminar.