'Enhance skilled manpower for treatment of cardiac patients'
National conference suggests opening cardiology deptt at all dist hospitals
Speakers at a national conference of cardiology yesterday stressed the need for enhancing skilled manpower, equipment and infrastructure to address the increased number of cardiac patients.
Terming cardiac problem one of the most prevailing non-communicable diseases, they said there should have cardiology departments at all the district hospitals.
Bangladesh Cardiac Society organised the national conference at a city hotel.
The speakers said there is no professor of cardiac surgery in the country.
“Despite having meritorious and skilled cardiologists, the country has only two regular associate professors out of 12 and 12 regular assistant professors out of 24 as promotion is halted for a long time,” said Badiuzzaman Bhuiyan Dablu, Health Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League.
Even the post of professor of cardiology is only eight at 18 medical colleges, which is really frustrating, he said.
The largest institute of the country to treat the cardiac patient is in need of 350 more manpower to provide more specialised services, said Director of the National Institute of Cardio Vascular Diseases (NICVD) Abdullah Al Shafi Majumder, adding that the existing post for cardiac surgery, cardiology and vascular surgery is now below 200.
The number of experts in government sector is not enough to run the NICVD even, he added.
The situation of pediatric cardiology is even worse, admitted the experts.
“We must have reasonably good facilities of cardiology at all the medical colleges. District hospitals also should be made self-sufficient so that patients get the basic cardiology support from there,” said Health Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque while delivering his speech as the chief guest.
State Minister for Health Captain (Retd) Mozibur Rahman Fakir, president of the society Prof M Amanullah MP, Secretary General Prof Khawaja Nasiruddin Mahmood, Secretary General of Swadhinata Chikitshak Parishad Prof Iqbal Arslan and Secretary General of Bangladesh Medical Association Prof Sharfuddin Ahmed also spoke at the inaugural session.
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